only fools (fall for you)
by GetTraught
Summary: Daniela has been close friends with Ian for almost two years now and dislikes his brother Lip with a passion- his man-whoring ways never ceasing to disgust her. But when her grades start dropping and she's in need of a tutor, Ella finds that he is the only worthy option. Along the way, she realizes she might not hate him as much as she thought. Lip/OC *NOW ON SEASON FIVE*
1. Pilot

**Chapter 1.**

Hey, guys, so this is a Lip/OC story, basically, because there are so few of them on here or anywhere, to be honest. The first chapter might be kind of crappy but hopefully, you enjoy it anyway.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Shameless.

ALSO: This story is a Shameless fic so quite obviously there is going to be explicit language and possible smut later on.

* * *

If you ever asked Daniela how she would describe the neighborhood she lived in with two words, she would say 'charming' and a 'shit-hole'. Then she would argue the fact that she considers that to be two words instead of three because she threw a hyphen in there.

Her description wasn't wrong though, Canaryville, Chicago was indeed, a shit-hole.

Still, the South Side never failed to hold a little charm to it. Maybe it was the colorful hobos that lived on the streets or the way the community came together in great acts of scamming others to share the rewards.

Either way, this was where Daniela lived. This was home.

Letting out a groan at the sound of her alarm clock, the 16-year-old rolled onto her side. Clumsily reaching out a hand, she felt around for the off button.

"Stupid alarm," she hissed, finally opening her eyes and looking at the bare expanse that was her bedroom.

She stared at her small room with its lilac walls that her mom and dad had painted for her when she was five, the uneven brushwork making her mouth tilt up in a smile. The paint had started to chip and chunks had come off from where she had put up posters and pictures.

The walls were in dire need of a touch-up; something Daniela would totally be up for. She would have to ask her brother if he had any paint at the shop.

Pulling the covers off and standing up, she stretched, standing on her tip-toes and reaching out her hand to see if she could try and touch the roof. With her fingers inches away, Daniela relaxed and walked out into the bathroom. Doing the usual morning routine she made her way into the room adjacent.

The room was dark as the girl moved over to the window to let some light in. She turned back to the bed and looked at who was in there. The woman in front of her was sleeping peacefully. The girl's eyes traveled to the plastic pipe placed in her mother's throat as the sound of the machine beside her washed over the room.

Gently, the girl shook her awake.

"Mom. Time to get up, Jake is taking you to the hospital at 11 for your check-up." The woman in the bed finally stirred and looked at her daughter; light-brown eyes meeting hazel. Her mother went to open her mouth to talk when her daughter placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"None of that. Come on, I'll make breakfast." With that, Daniela walked out of the room and down the stairs through to the kitchen. Before she got there, she peeped out the window and rolled her eyes at what she saw, opening the door.

"Frank," she addressed in annoyance. The drunk had passed out on their front porch- again. Daniela kicked him lightly with her foot.

"Frank! Get your ass up. Wrong house." When the man still didn't stir the girl rolled her eyes. Heading inside, she filled up a cup of water before going back to him.

Unceremoniously, she tipped it on him, eliciting a loud groan from him.

"For fuck sakes, Daniela!" He cursed finally sitting up and looking at the girl standing above him. "How many times do I have to tell you to stop dumping water on me?"

"How many times do I have to tell you this is the wrong fucking house?" Retorted Daniela, placing an arm on her hip. "It's five more houses down Frank, Jesus how hard can it be?"

The man shakily got to his feet and waved a disapproving finger at her.

"Now, now. Do not use the Lord's name in vain," he slurred.

Scoffing, Daniela walked back inside. "Since when have you ever been religious Frank?"

Not waiting for a reply, she shut the door in his face.

When she walked into the kitchen a second time, she saw her mother sitting there already. Daniela took a moment to acknowledge her mother's beauty.

A woman of Puerto Rican descent, her mother had olive skin, dark brown hair, and light-brown eyes. She still held her youth well for someone nearing their fifties, something Daniela hoped she would inherit.

Her mother raised a brow at her and gestured to the door but didn't say anything. From her knowing look, Daniela knew she was asking about Frank.

"Yeah," answered the girl pulling out a bag of dry oats and preparing it before putting it on the stove and popping on some toast.

When both were done, she dished it up and placed one of the bowls in front of her mother.

Sitting down across from her, Daniela began eating, watching as her mom carefully swallowed the oatmeal. The sound of the door opening grabbed both of their attentions.

Standing tall at six-foot-two, with dark brown hair and the same hazel eyes was Daniela's older brother, Jakob. His hands and clothes were dirty with oil grease as he walked into the kitchen and planted a kiss on each woman's cheek.

"Morning," he greeted making a cup of coffee. Daniela returned the greeting as she stood up to put her dishes in the sink.

"Mom's appointment is at 11," said the girl, eyeing her brother. He simply nodded and sat at the table.

"Don't worry. I'll get her there on time. Gotta be back at the shop by 1 though, got some inventory coming in." The shop was her dad's auto repair shop, left to her mother and later on her brother to take care of.

"Fair enough," replied Daniela as she made her way back into her bedroom. Quickly changing into some jeans and a t-shirt, she walked back out towards the door.

"I'm heading out now. See you after school!"

Closing the door behind her, Daniela briefly noted the absence of Frank from her porch and made her way towards the house on the corner. Not bothering to knock, she let herself in; straightaway getting hit by the voices of the Gallagher clan.

"How much are we short?" asked a voice she knew to be Fiona.

"$18.30," answered Debbie.

"I'm tutoring after school, should be able to kick in ten more," added Lip as Daniela made her way into the kitchen. His eyes locked on her for a second before he rolled them and looked away.

Daniela narrowed her eyes and scoffed back at him.

Lip and her had never really gotten along. Maybe it was because he used to pull on her pigtails when they were younger or the fact that they tended to argue a lot in class; with them both being in the same year.

Not that it bothered Daniela, there was no love lost there. His man-whoring ways always irked her and she tried to ignore him whenever he was around; something that was certainly not easy when she was best friends with his younger brother.

Fiona spotted the girl standing there and shot her a tired smile.

"Hey, Ella, here for breakfast?" Daniela smiled kindly but shook her head. Walking over to Liam, she rubbed her finger on his soft cheek and ruffled his hair.

"No thanks Fi, I already ate before I came. Just waiting on Ian."

For the past year and a half, Ian and Daniela had grown to be very close friends; bonding over their shared job at the Kash & Grab.

Before that, they had never really spoken, just a few times when Daniela had come to babysit Carl, Debbie, and Liam. Now they were probably best friends.

Daniela smiled when she saw Ian and he returned it.

"Hey Ella," greeted Ian as she took a spare seat at the end of the table between him and Lip. She watched him quickly eat his cereal as the rest of the Gallaghers buzzed around them.

"Somebody's gotta take Liam," stated Fiona as she finally sat down. When Lip and Ian pulled out, claiming to have a calculus test and work after school, Liam was left to Debbie for her show-and-tell.

"Ready to go?" Daniela turned to see Ian looking at her. Nodding her head, she stood up and grabbed her bag from the floor.

Splitting off from the rest of the Gallagher clan, they made their way to school.

"So. Work tonight huh?" asked Daniela with a sly grin. S

he had known about Ian's little affair with their boss Kash and personally didn't approve based on the fact that the guy was married and had kids. But she also knew how happy he made Ian and liked when her friend was happy.

Ian let out a short laugh and looked down at his shoes.

"Yeah, Linda's taking the boys to something at the mosque so it's just gonna be Kash and me."

Daniela laughed, frowning when she saw his feet and pointed to them.

"Are those new shoes?" When she saw the look on Ian's face her eyebrows lifted. "Kash bought those for you? How come I don't get any free shit from him?" Ian whipped his head around making sure no-one heard and held a finger up to his lips.

"Shh okay. Yes, he bought them for me. But I got him tickets to a Sox game for his birthday." Daniela shook her head at him.

"Jesus, Ian. What are you going to do when Linda finds out- and trust me- she _will_ find out."

"I'm not sure," shrugged Ian.

The two fell into a comfortable silence after that as they continued walking to school.

"How's your mom doing?" Piped up Ian. He watched as his friend chewed on her lip and shrugged her shoulders.

"She's doing okay, considering. The doctor told her to try not to talk too much because of the tube in her throat. She's still getting used to it but Jake's taking her to the hospital today so they can check to see if the cancer is spreading."

Two years ago, when Daniela was fifteen, her mother had been diagnosed with oesophageal cancer- a negative side effect of all the heavy smoking and drinking she had done throughout her life. Like most cases of cancer, it had been discovered late and was basically untreatable.

A month ago, her mother had had trouble breathing due to her throat closing up which almost killed her. Now she had a tube in her throat hooked up to a machine to help her breathe. It hurt to see her mother in such pain.

Truly, her mother was supposed to be staying in the hospital but with her mother's refusal and the dangerously large bill, they knew they couldn't do it.

"Well, hopefully, it hasn't," comforted Ian, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Daniela's mouth tilted up into a smile as she snuggled into him.

/

Daniela had just finished school and was making her way home when she saw her brother sitting on the front steps with a beer in his hand.

Frowning curiously, she slowly plopped down beside him and accepted the bottle he passed to her. He waited for her to take a sip before talking.

"Mom's getting worse," he stated gruffly. His eyes stared off across the street and his jaw was tight. Daniela's eye's widened in shock. "Doc said the cancer is spreading into her organs; said it was a miracle she managed to go so long without it happening."

"Fuck," whispered Daniela.

"Pretty much," breezed Jake as he took another swig. "They recommend her getting hospitalized, so they can keep a better eye on her."

"Well, they're right. Her being here at home clearly, isn't helping."

"It's not that simple Dani," snapped her brother, finally looking at her. "How the hell are we supposed to afford that? No. We can't do it."

"I can get another job and-" she was firmly cut off by her brother.

"No! You are not getting a third job. You still have to get through high school on top of it." Daniela angrily stood up.

"Well, we can't just leave her here! She's our mother Jakob! We have to take care of her." The girl took a deep breath before sitting down and leaning her head against her brother's shoulder. "We have to figure out a way."

Hearing her brother take a deep sigh, she knew he had caved.

"Fine. I'll go tomorrow and set it up. We'll figure out the money thing later."

Finishing off his bottle, he kissed the top of his sister's head before heading back inside. Daniela sat there for a minute thinking. Her mother's cancer was getting worse, and she didn't know what she was going to do.

Craving some comfort and someone to talk to, the girl got up and made her way back to Ian's house. She walked up the stairs to see Veronica and Fiona standing in the boy's room.

"I'll put it back on later," said Veronica as she ripped the tag off of Fiona's dress. "I have a tag gun at home from when I worked at TJ Maxx."

"Hey Fiona, hey V," greeted Daniela as she went and sat down on Ian's bed. Lip, who she had just noticed was there, stared at her. Raising her eyebrow at him she turned her face and watched the two women frantically getting ready.

"Oh, hey Ella," replied a flustered Fiona before she turned to Lip. "Hot dogs downstairs, nachos too. Help yourselves." With that, they left the room and shut the door.

"Have fun," chorused Lip and Daniela making the girl crinkle her nose at him. Obviously, Ian wasn't home yet which meant Daniela had to awkwardly wait in here with his brother.

Sniffing the air, her nose crinkled and her face made a disgusted look.

"Why does it smell so bad in here?"

"Maybe because there are three boys sleeping in here, two of which are teenagers and hormonal." Daniela grimaced and moved to relax on Ian's bed, closing her eyes.

Feeling someone watching her, she popped one eye open and raised an eyebrow at him.

"Yes?" She realized his eyes weren't so much on her face but more on her stomach where her shirt had ridden up halfway. His eyes traveled over her body, something she had noticed he did a lot. Still, she wasn't into him like that.

Sitting up, she snapped her fingers in his face, knocking him out of it.

"Eyes up here, perv," she said in disgust, signaling to her face before lying down and closing her eyes once more.

"You wish," she heard him mutter childishly under his breath.

With an eye roll, Lip moved to hide his jizz-stained underwear behind the drawer. Daniela heard a resounding thud but didn't bother looking.

Lip eagerly opened the folder only to see gay porn instead. Glancing at Daniela, he was about to question her when he heard footsteps coming down the hallway. Quickly stashing it under his mattress, he turned to see his brother walk through the door.

The door opened sharply and Ian stopped when he saw his friend and brother in his room.

"Hey," he said carefully looking between them. Lip had pulled out a textbook and was now studying. Daniela opened her eyes and gave him a sad smile.

"Hey you." Ian could tell straight away that something was wrong and quickly moved over to sit by her.

"What's wrong?" He asked with concern. Daniela sighed and played with her hands.

"Mom's cancer got worse. They have to hospitalize her." The boy's eyes widened as he wrapped her up in his arms.

"Shit Ella."

They sat there for a few moments as Ian's eyes met Lip's who had stopped reading. The boy on the top bunk quietly moved his book aside before reaching under his pillow and pulling out a joint.

Lighting it up and taking a puff, he hopped down and held it out to Daniela wordlessly, putting aside their mutual dislike.

She took it with a tentative smile before taking a hit. She held it in her throat before slowly letting it out, allowing the weed to take over her before passing it to Ian who did the same.

/

Daniela had fallen asleep on Ian's bed and was now comfortably tucked up against him, snoring softly. Ian laughed as he looked down at her.

"Got a hummer today," stated Lip casually. Ian scoffed at his brother.

"What's the law on sex with pets?"

"From Karen Jackson," added Lip.

"No way."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," argued Lip as he sat up to look at him. "She got a C in physics, needed a B."

Daniela slowly began to wake up as the two brothers continued to talk about blowjobs. She felt Ian slowly pull away before moving to sit up on the bed.

"You ever had a knob job?" Questioned Lip.

"Once or twice," answered Ian vaguely.

"Oh. Wow. From her?" Lip gestured towards Daniela. He watched as Ian grew tense and he knew he had angered him.

"No."

Lip shrugged. "Didn't hear you rushing to tell me."

"Yeah, well," stuttered Ian.

"I mean," began Lip. "I thought we told each other everything. Unless..." Ian watched as his brother pulled out a folder from underneath his mattress and threw it at him. "You got sucked off by a guy. For instance." He watched as his younger brother froze.

Daniela, who had been quietly listening decided to make herself known to cut off the awkwardness in the room. The brothers both looked at her as she sat up, ending their conversation.

She was about to speak when she heard what sounded like Veronica laughing downstairs.

Lip walked to the door and gave Ian one last look before leaving. The boy sat there, still as a statue. Daniela moved over to comfort him and felt a weight drop down in her lap.

The girl picked up the folder she knew had his gay porn in it. With a sad smile, she hugged him before standing up and grabbing her bag.

"I'm gonna head home. Walk me?" Ian looked grateful for the excuse and nodded.

As they made their way down the stairs, they heard Debbie questioning someone about the price of their watch and Daniela saw Veronica patching up a very cute guy. Fiona gestured to the two of them when she spotted them.

"Plus Ian, and that's Ella." Daniela waved at him as Ian greeted him. The girl's eyes caught Lip's as he was looking at his brother and she glared at him. Lip, who realized that she had probably heard the two of them talking, scoffed and turned away.

"Hey Debbie, why do they call him Lip?" Whispered Steve conspiratorily as Daniela settled down on the stairs with Ian.

"His real name's Phillip," answered Fiona with a smile. The front door opened and soon Kev walked into the lounge.

Daniela, feeling like the room was getting too crowded, nudged Ian and gestured towards the door. The ginger nodded and the two stood up. Fiona frowned at them curiously when she saw them walking out.

"Hey, where are you two going?"

"Oh, Ian's walking me home," replied Daniela with a smile, giving everyone a last wave. "Night guys. Nice to meet you," she said to the guy who's name she still didn't know. They all said goodnight and the two teens left.

They walked in silence for two houses before Ian finally spoke.

"Thanks," was all he said, but she knew he really meant it. Daniela smiled at her best friend and looped her arm through his.

/

The next day, Daniela had walked to school with Ian, who told her of Lip's great plan to go over and 'tutor' Karen Jackson knowing that it was just a poor excuse to get Ian a blowjob.

The girl had scoffed at the idea, wondering why her friend would even go through with it since he was gay. Ian had then said that it might convince Lip that he's straight which angered Daniela. She didn't think Ian should have had to pretend to enjoy getting sucked off by a girl just to make his brother happy.

Nevertheless, she said goodbye to Ian after school and made her way to the Kash & Grab for work. When she walked in, she saw Linda talking to someone who must have been dropping off new stock. The white Muslim turned and sighed gratefully when she saw Daniela walk in.

"You're here, thank God. Mind helping this guy unload the truck? I'll go get Kash." Daniela nodded and made her way to the back to pick up some of the boxes.

As she bent down to pick a box up off the ground she felt eyes staring at her- more specifically, her ass. Rolling her eyes and fixing him with a hard stare she placed her hand on her hip.

"You wanna lose an eyeball?" The man, now frightened at being caught in the act, shook his head making the girl smirk. "Good, then stop being a pig and help me unload these boxes."

With his help, she managed to get it all out of the truck as Kash walked through the door. He thanked the delivery guy who then closed up his truck and left, throwing Daniela one more look. The girl sneered before turning back to her boss.

Things had been a bit awkward ever since she had walked back into the shop a few weeks ago after forgetting her bag and spotting her friend and her boss having sex in the back.

Clearing her throat, she made her way over to the boxes with a box cutter and began re-stocking the shelves.

/

Daniela walked into her house later on that night after finishing work. Heading into the kitchen, she spotted her brother sitting at the table drinking a beer. The girl opened the fridge and grabbed her own bottle before sitting opposite him.

Her brother looked at her and let out a low chuckle. "Aren't you a bit young to be drinking?"

Daniela laughed and shook her head at him. "Says the one who was offering it to me yesterday." Their smiles slowly disappeared as the room filled with a somber silence. "How'd things at the hospital go?"

"Good," nodded Jakob taking a swig. "We're going to take her tomorrow. Get her settled in." Daniela nodded before getting up and heading towards her mother's room. She knocked gently on the door before entering.

"Hey mom," she greeted. The woman was still awake, the sound of her breathing machine filling the room. Daniela sat down beside her mother and grabbed her hand.

"The hospital is gonna be real good for you mom. They'll be able to watch you and take care of you better there." A tear slipped down her mother's cheek, a watery smile on her face as Daniela wiped it away.

Leaning forward, she pressed a kiss to her mom's forehead before leaving for her own room. As Daniela fell asleep, she silently prayed she was right.

/

The next day, Daniela had been busy settling her mom into the hospital and spending time with her so she didn't get to catch up with Ian until the day after. She still had no idea how the thing with Karen had gone.

When she walked into the Gallagher household she saw that Ian wasn't there.

"Hey Carl, have you seen Ian?" The boy nodded and gestured outside.

"He's in the van with Lip." Daniela nodded her thanks and headed out into the backyard. The girl walked over and slid open the side door, getting into the back and scaring the two brothers.

"Fucking hell," cursed Lip as he whipped around to glare at her. Ian laughed which made Daniela grin. It seemed like the two had made up.

Daniela set her elbows on the sides of both of their seats and leaned forward.

"So, how did the thing with Karen Jackson go?" At her question, both boys groaned. Ian shook his head and inhaled from the cigarette he was holding.

"Not too good. Her dad caught her under the table and flipped his shit. Lip had to jump out of a second-story window." Daniela let out an unattractive snort as she laughed at Lip. The boy just responding by flipping her off.

"Yeah, now it fucking hurts like crazy," complained Lip pulling out a fresh cigarette and lighting it. Daniela rolled her eyes at him.

"You'll survive." Reaching out, she stole the cigarette from him just as he was about to take a puff and brought it to her own lips.

"Do you mind?" Protested Lip, sending her a sharp glare to which she simply shrugged.

"No."

She released the smoke, blowing it in his direction and smirking when he coughed, waving it away.

"God, you are such a bitch."

"Only for you."

A knock on the window alerted them of Carl who was wearing a huge grin. Ian rolled down the window and poked his head out.

"Steve made breakfast," informed Carl excitedly. Daniela didn't know who this Steve was but she had a fair idea it was the guy Fiona had brought back from the club the other night.

The three hungry teenagers quickly clamored out of the van and up into the kitchen.

Steve had indeed made breakfast- a lot of it. Debbie and the man were filling up plates of bacon and pancakes which Lip and Ian soon went over to help with. Daniela helped set the table and put Liam in his highchair.

They all looked up when Fiona made her way down the stairs.

"What's all this?"

"Debbie's the only person I know who wakes up earlier than I do, and I told her I never eat breakfast, but she said it's her favorite meal," explained Steve as he continued to fill up more plates. "And I thought since it's her birthday-"

"Woah!" Interrupted the Gallagher clan. "No, it's not!"

"It's not her birthday!" Argued Carl.

"I never said it was, I said I _wished_ it was," defended Debbie. Steve agreed with her and managed to talk Fiona into accepting it.

Daniela sat next to Ian and began digging into the eggs, bacon and pancakes. She loved pancakes and hadn't had the pleasure of enjoying them for a long time. As she ate and laughed with Ian, she felt eyes on her.

Looking across the table, her gaze met Lip's. She raised an annoyed eyebrow at him until he went back to talking to Carl.

After breakfast, Daniela stayed back to help Ian and Lip wash up and ended up starting a tea-towel whipping battle with Ian- much to the other boy's annoyance- which then made them a few minutes late for school. Neither of them really minded because they both hated their first class anyways.

As they walked down the street with their arms wrapped around the other, Daniela realized she was truly thankful for her best friend in this shit-hole she called home.

* * *

The first chapter is done! I'm not sure if every chapter will be this long but they'll be split up into episodes- a chapter an episode.

Hopefully, it was okay. I do plan on fleshing out Daniela and she will have a story line of her own so it's not just her following around the Gallaghers all day.

Please leave a review if you enjoyed this, I'd love to hear from you!

 **REVIEW!**


	2. Frank the Plank

**Chapter 2.**

Thank you to those who left a response on the first chapter!

 _Special thanks to:_ guest, guest (2), simone140089, simone039, Jiselle in Wonderland, Rushforlife and benzgirl888!

 **Disclaimer** : I don't own Shameless.

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Steve and Ian buzzed around the living room, handing out burgers and drinks to everyone.

"Burgers coming through!" Yelled Ian as he walked over to where Daniela was sitting in a green chair beside the wall. Standing up, Daniela let Ian sit down before popping down onto his lap. After he sat down he held out a burger and drink to her.

"Double cheeseburger with extra pickles and mustard and a strawberry milkshake." Daniela smiled and took it.

"Thank you."

Fiona teared her eyes away from the television to look at her other brother.

"Uh, Lip, napkins?" The blonde girl- who Daniela knew to be Karen- stood up next to him offering to get them. Lip politely denied, urging her to sit.

"Only ketchup," read out Steve before an eager Debbie piped up.

"Me. Me!"

"Extra onions, jalapenos," The door opened and in walked Veronica, hopping over the couch to sit on the other side of Fiona whilst grabbing her burger from Steve's hand.

"Make room," she ordered, turning to look at Karen curiously. "Who's this?"

"This is Karen," informed Lip, coming back with a wad of napkins which he placed down on the coffee table in front of Daniela. Veronica was in the middle of asking Karen what size shirt she was when Fiona told her to shut up and directed her focus to the screen.

Daniela unwrapped her burger and began diving into it, not bothering to be dainty and mask the fact that she was starving. She felt Ian's chest rumble from a silent chuckle causing her to turn and raise an eyebrow at him.

"What?" Ian covered up his laughs and shook his head.

"Nothing, it's just, if you keep eating like that you might break my legs". Knowing he was joking, Daniela playfully gasped and punched him in the shoulder making him groan and her grin.

"Asshole", she cursed, turning back to the television and settling against him.

As she was drinking from her milkshake, Daniela noticed a pair of eyes staring at her. Looking to her left, she spotted Lip as the culprit. The boy stared at her oddly, watching as she drank from her straw. His eyes were focused on her mouth- more importantly, her full lips- wrapped around the plastic.

Realizing what he was thinking, Daniela quickly stopped drinking and instead placed her cup down onto the table. When she looked back at Lip, his attention was already gone- now focusing on Karen.

They were ten minutes into the program when the door closed- alerting them of Frank's appearance. Daniel's eyes widened as she took in the man's bloodied face.

"You okay, Frank?" Asked a concerned Steve as everyone's attentions turned towards the man.

Daniela felt Ian tense in anger underneath her before he gently urged her off of him. The girl watched as her friend crossed over in front of the TV.

"Hey," he called. When Frank continued walking, paying no attention, Ian grew angrier. "That my shirt?" Ian pointed to the green flannel his father was wearing. Frank looked at him before nodding his head.

"Yeah," he said in an obvious tone. When he started advancing on Ian, Daniela grew worried; watching as Ian began backing up.

"Uh, I'm just asking," soothed Ian nervously. Daniela was about to stand up and get in between them when Frank- out of nowhere- head butted Ian, sending everyone into an uproar. The girl felt her blood boil as she quickly rushed to her friend.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Roared Steve as he shoved Frank.

Focusing on Ian, she grabbed his hand and squeezed it before rushing off to the kitchen to grab a wet cloth, passing Debbie who was now holding a frying pan.

"This isn't drunk!" Argued Frank. "You wanna see drunk?"

"Don't do this to your kids", begged Steve while Daniela hurried to grab a cloth and wet it under the tap.

Heading back into the living room, she knelt beside Ian and helped him sit up so she could start wiping away the blood. Fiona was on the other side of him, whispering soothing words.

When she noticed things were starting to escalate further between Frank and Steve, Daniela urged Fiona to go and intervene. Soon, Veronica came over to help out; using her nursing skills to stop Ian's nose from bleeding.

"Pinch the front of your nose where your nostrils are," ordered V, holding up the rag. Ian complied and continued to do so as Daniela sat back and watched her friend. V nodded her head. "Okay, you keep doing that and it should clot the blood, making it stop."

Daniela barely noticed Karen coming down to help them or Fiona kicking Steve out of the house. She was pissed off at Frank always ruining things, barging in when they were all having a nice, peaceful afternoon. Ruining the mood.

Angry thoughts filled the girl's mind but she knew she had to stay calm. Looking to Veronica, she asked if there was anything she needed.

"Ice." Daniela got up to get some from the freezer, her fists clenching when she heard Frank saying that it wasn't a big deal.

"Anybody notice that _I'm_ bleeding," complained Frank, holding out his arms. Daniela breezed past him with a bag of ice, trying her hardest not to say that no-one gave a stone, cold _fuck_ if he was bleeding.

When no-one gave him a response, the man shook his head and walked into the kitchen to clean himself up.

Ian, who had grown tired of all the fussing, pushed himself off the table and up the stairs. Daniela took a deep breath, not sure if she should follow him or stay behind.

Lip didn't hesitate to follow his brother, with Daniela going after him.

Wordlessly, the pair made their way into the boys' bedroom. The ginger sat, slumped on his bed. Daniela walked over and sat next to him, grabbing his hand. She observed his stained shirt and raised her eyebrows at him.

"You should _probably_ take that shirt off." She watched with a hopeful smile as the corner of Ian's mouth tipped up.

"If you wanted me naked, Ella all you had to do was ask," he smirked as the both of them let out a laugh. Daniela pursed her lips at him as he stood up.

"Sounds intriguing. Too bad you bat for the other team." Ian laughed and shook his head before taking off his ruined shirt and slipping on a new, clean one.

"You should've hit him back," said Lip, rolling up a joint.

"If I ever do, I'll fucking kill him." Daniela had no doubts that what her friend said was true.

"So? Eight to ten for manslaughter. Get laid as often as you want. Tattoos and everything. It's gay heaven, man," jibed Lip making both Ian and Daniela glare at him.

"Dick."

Ian sighed and sat back down beside the girl, taking the outstretched towel from her to wipe his nose.

Shrugging, Lip offered his joint to his brother, waiting for Ian to place it in between his lips before lighting it.

* * *

The next day, Daniela was working. She had just finished serving a customer when Ian burst through the door looking frazzled.

"Seen Frank?" He asked hurriedly. The girl shook her head.

"Frank's missing? Isn't it Last Friday?"

"Yeah, which is why this is so strange," explained Ian as he quickly ran through to the back to make sure his father wasn't there. Daniela watched uselessly as her friend made his way towards the door again.

"Do you need any help?" She offered as he opened the door. "I get off in half-an-hour."

"Yeah, that would be great. Thanks, Ella." Giving the girl a smile, he took off. Daniela watched him leave with a sigh and got back to work.

* * *

"Frank's in _Canada_?" Laughed a shocked Daniela. She had made her way over to the Gallagher house after work only to see Tony there informing them that Frank had been arrested in Canada.

Now she sat upstairs with Ian, who couldn't help but find the whole situation hilarious.

"Yeah," grinned the red-head, lying back on his bed.

"Holy shit. How?"

"Who knows." Daniela chucked and laid down beside him.

Suddenly they heard the toot of a horn from outside and curiously made their way downstairs. Daniela's eyes widened when she saw a huge RV sitting in front of the house.

"What the hell is that?" Spoke Kevin, throwing on his jacket. Steve, who stood in front of them observing the vehicle, replied.

"Our ride."

"Where are they going?" Questioned Daniela as she crossed her arms.

"They're smuggling Frank back over the border from Canada," responded Lip casually. The girl gave him strange look before nodding.

"Sounds about right."

After Kev, Veronica and Steve left with the strange guy and the RV, the rest of them headed back inside. Fiona and Steve headed into the kitchen while Ian and Daniela stayed back in the lounge.

The girl reclined herself on the sofa as Ian sat in one of the armchairs. She raised her eyebrows at him.

"Excited to be getting Frank back?" Ian scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"Oh yeah. Joy." Daniela snorted and almost jumped out of her skin when Debbie popped up behind the sofa.

"We should make something for Daddy. To celebrate!" Ian groaned causing Daniela to kick him lightly before flashing a kind smile at Debbie.

"That sounds like a great idea, Debs. What did you have in mind?" The little red-headed girl pursed her lips in thought.

"You should have a theme," suggested Ian. "How about Canada? I'm sure he'll love it."

The boy flashed a grin at Daniela who was trying her hardest not to laugh. No doubt Frank would absolutely despise anything Canada related. It was a terrible but hilarious idea; Debbie thought it was a great one.

"It's perfect!" She proclaimed running up the stairs and quickly returning with a box of pencils and some paper.

"We should buy things made and from Canada. I'm thinking some flags, beer, food- it'll be great! Ella, any chance you could help out with making a banner?" Debbie knew that one of Daniela's biggest passions and skills was art- which would definitely benefit her. The teenager nodded.

"Sure thing, Debs. I can quickly go home and get some more stuff we could use." The little girl's eyes lit up as she nodded.

* * *

When Daniela returned with her art supplies, the two girls got to work. They laid out a long piece of paper onto the kitchen table and set up paints and pencils around them. When the area was all set up, Daniela turned to Debbie and asked what kind of ideas she had for the banner.

"It should definitely have red and white and should say 'Welcome Home Frank'."

"Good idea," nodded the teen as she picked up a brush and dipped it in the black paint. She began painting out the letters, making sure they looked good. Not that she particularly cared what Frank thought. He'd most likely hate it. But that didn't stop Daniela from making sure this was a damn good banner.

The two girls continued painting and laughing; Debbie had managed to get red paint all over her pants. Thankfully, they were old and worn, on the verge of unwearable. Daniela was a lot cleaner, having been more used to painting and making sure to not get messy.

The teenager appreciated Debbie's company. The young girl was always enjoyable to talk to and be around. Daniela used to babysit her, Carl and Liam sometimes when Fiona and Ian were working and Lip was out somewhere getting laid or tutoring.

Finishing up the last maple leaf, the two girls stood back and admired their impressive work.

"High five," grinned Daniela. Debbie laughed and smacked her hand against Daniela's.

"Thanks, Ella." The teen grabbed Debbie and pulled her into a hug, dropping a kiss down on her head.

"Anytime, Debs." When the young girl yawned, Daniela looked at the clock to see that it had gotten rather late.

"Why don't you head up to bed," she encouraged. "I'll clean all this up and take the banner home to dry. I'll bring it over first thing tomorrow." The little girl, who was too exhausted to reply verbally, simply nodded before turning around and going up the stairs.

Daniela began packing away the paints into the basket she had brought over and washing the brushes under the tap. A sound from behind startled her and she turned around to see Lip opening the fridge and grabbing out a bottle of beer.

Giving her a once-over, he spoke.

"You still here?" The girl rolled her eyes at him and leaned against the sink.

"Yeah, I just finished helping Debbie with the banner for Frank," she gestured towards the table where it laid. Lip scoffed as he took a drink of his beer.

"Asshole doesn't deserve a banner." He had said it quietly, most likely to himself rather than to Daniela. Nevertheless, the girl across from him heard it and nodded her head in agreement.

"I know that. But Debbie really wanted to so.." The boy nodded his head in understanding. Debbie was young, still full of wonder and naivety that had yet to be fully tarnished by the reality that was her father.

A silence washed over the room, not quite awkward but also not at all comfortable. Daniela cleared her throat and went over to carefully pick up the banner. She made sure to fold it delicately so that it did not crease but at the same time not smudge the still-drying paint. She slung the basket onto her wrist before giving Lip a parting nod.

"Goodnight". He raised his bottle to her as she made her way past him and out the door.

* * *

The next morning, Daniela was up bright and early. _Okay_ , 10:30, but still, that was very impressive for her as she often needed the assistance of her alarm clock to rouse her awake. Her eyes blinked and her vision began to focus. A yawn escaped her mouth as she got up out of bed.

Lazily glancing around her room, her eyes settled on the large paper sitting on the wooden desk.

 _Shit!_

Frantically, Daniela made her way into the bathroom to have a shower and freshen up. She had completely forgotten about the banner.

As soon as she was out and dressed, the girl grabbed the banner- making sure not to rip it- and bolted down the stairs and out the door. She threw a passing goodbye at her brother who was stood in the kitchen watching her with a perplexed look.

By the time she got to the Gallagher house, she was puffing and the girl decided to make a mental note of trying to exercise more. Maybe she could ask Fiona, she recalled the older woman telling her about how she use to run track in high school and that she had been pretty damn good.

Shaking her thoughts, she made her way up the front steps and opened the door only to see Debbie sitting on the sofa expectantly. When the girl saw her, she quickly walked to her and put her hands on her hips.

"You're late," she stated with a cocked eyebrow. Daniela's eyes lowered as she held out the banner to Debbie.

"Sorry Debs, I slept in." The girl pursed her lips at her for a moment before sighing.

"We have to hurry. Frank will be here in an hour."

Daniela and Debbie got to work hanging up the banner across the front of the house. Daniela had texted Kev and asked if she could borrow his ladder as neither she nor the Gallaghers had one. He had grudgingly said yes much to the girl's delight.

By the time they were done, people from all across the neighborhood had started to make their way over to the front lawn. Daniela happily noticed the Canadian flags they all held.

"Steve just texted. They'll be here any minute," stated Fiona as she made her way out onto the porch. She was followed by the rest of her siblings. Ian made his way over to Daniela and Debbie, rubbing the younger girl's head.

"Banner looks great, Debs." Debbie was positively beaming at his compliment.

"Thanks, Ian, I couldn't have done it without Ella." Daniela smiled softly and shook her head.

"All you, Debs." Ian nudged his shoulder and wrapped his arm around her in a one-armed hug.

"Thanks for that," he said honestly. Daniela shrugged her shoulders, it wasn't a big deal.

Cheers erupted around them as they caught a glimpse of the huge ass RV coming down the street. People started waving their flags and hollering at the vehicle. It came to a stop and Daniela grabbed Ian's hand. She knew her friend was less than eager to have his father back.

The door swung open to first reveal Veronica who stepped off with a huge grin. Kev followed closely behind, proudly holding what looked to be a box full of pharmaceuticals. After Kev was Frank who was less than pleased to see his neighbors cheering and waving the Canadian flag in his face.

"Oh, fuck off. Fuck off," he swore angrily. Lip patted him on the chest as he made his way towards the stairs causing Frank to turn back and glare at him, much to Lip's delight.

"Welcome home, Daddy," smiled Debbie sweetly. Daniela's jaw clenched when Frank simply glanced at her and stalked inside.

"Fucking prick," she muttered. Ian turned to her and huffed a laugh. The two teens turned and ushered Carl to go and speak with Kev and V.

* * *

Later that afternoon when things had died down, Daniela went to the hospital to see her mom.

The woman was sat upright in her bed holding a spoon of soup. Cancer in her throat had made it difficult for Daniela's mother to properly swallow anything. Meals like soup and oatmeal were much easier for the woman to ingest.

Daniela's mother seemed to be having a hard time pushing the soup down by the choking sound she made. The nurse, who had been carefully observing her- rushed to her side and began helping.

Daniela walked into the room with her eyes wide. The sight of her mother coughing up the soup onto her bed upset her.

Camille, who had once been tough and not afraid to tell anyone what she really thought, was now succumbed to the shell of a woman she once was. It pained Daniela greatly as she made her way over and held her mother's hand. The now-frail woman looked at her, eyes glassy with tears. With no words, Daniela could see the pain and frustration in her eyes.

The nurse maneuvered the small table away from the hospital bed before gently taking the sheets off of Camille and bundling them up.

"I'll be back shortly with some fresh linen." She gave Daniela a kind smile before leaving. The girl sighed and sat down in the seat beside her mother's bed.

"You missed it, mom, Fiona's boyfriend, well _ex_ -boyfriend now, smuggled Frank into Canada and then he had to go and bring him back." Camille's body shook with quiet laughter, a slight raspiness coming from her throat.

"It was hilarious. When they pulled up on the street and stepped out, everyone was waving little Canada flags. Debbie and I even made a banner."

Daniela continued to tell her mother of all the things that had gone down with Frank and Canada. The girl could tell that her mother was annoyed at the fact that she couldn't properly laugh or just chat with her daughter. Her illness was a burden and she hated it with a fiery passion.

Still, Daniela tried to make her mother feel as calm and happy as she could.

* * *

Yeah I know, the end was real shit but I'm honestly terrible at ending chapters- and also stories in general. Hopefully it wasn't too crappy. I know it's a bit slow but I promise it will get going soon.

Also, the relationship between Lip and Daniela will be a slow one. I hate stories where the characters fall in love and live happily ever after in the first 7-10 chapters. I still have to build up the dynamic and relationship before I get to that stage. I have season one and two currently planned out and I'm pretty happy with it.

Please leave a review to let me know what you think.

 **REVIEW!**


	3. Aunt Ginger

**Chapter 3.**

Thanks for all the feedback so far!

 _Special thanks to_ : guest, GammaRays300, MarvelPotterHead, Teddybearwithfangs and XXArmageddonXX!

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shameless.

* * *

Daniela wrapped her scarf tightly around her neck and shoved her gloved hands into the pockets of her coat to try and feel the slightest bit of warmth. Winter was her least favorite season as she absolutely despised the cold. It also didn't help that she was incredibly sleep deprived.

She had done some babysitting for the Johnson family that lived a few blocks over. Their twin toddlers and seven-year-old were relentless, never seeming to need sleep. Their parents had gone out for a date night and didn't manage to get back until around midnight, leaving Daniela exhausted.

That morning, Daniela had gotten a text from Ian when she woke up saying that he needed to talk to her urgently. Curious as to what her friend needed to tell her, she made her way over straight away.

When Daniela came to the front of the house, she noticed Steve's expensive car sitting out front and rolled her eyes. Clearly, the man had not gotten the message that Fiona was still more than pissed off at him for the whole Canada fiasco.

 _He's persistent I'll give him that._

Daniela made her way up the front stairs and opened the door. She was in the process of taking her scarf off when the bitter air hit her causing her to re-wrap it.

"Why the fuck is it so cold in here?" Daniela huffed and then widened her eyes when she saw her own breath in front of her.

"Oh look, the Ice Queen just arrived," quipped Lip dryly making her scowl at him as she walked into the kitchen to find the Gallaghers (plus Steve) there. "No wonder it's so cold in here."

"Bite me."

"Pass."

Debbie was propped up on the counter with her laptop and looked up when she heard Daniela enter.

"Ella!" She greeted happily.

"Hey Debs," Daniela stopped glaring at Lip and moved over to see what the young girl was doing.

"Back for more abuse," quipped a voice from behind her. She turned to see Lip addressing Steve, obviously unimpressed. "You're like a boomerang."

"Yeah, no, I lost a bet to Ian on the Islanders game," explained Steve. "Need to see what tickets he wants me to get him."

"And we live in the 1700s where telephones haven't been invented yet so of course, you couldn't just call," spoke Fiona sarcastically.

"Not when I knew you were dying to see me." Daniela mentally scoffed at Steve's nerve.

Her attention snapped to the stairs when she heard Ian come down.

"Yo, you got my tickets?" He asked Steve.

"Yeah what game? Philly on the 12th or Edmonton on the 27th."

"Oh, Oilers definitely!" Piped up, Daniela. Ian agreed.

"That's a good choice! The Flyers are fags." Daniela inwardly cringed at Kev's poor choice of words. She noticed Lip's eyes spring up from his bowl of cereal and look straight at Ian. Ian however, showed no signs of discomfort.

"Goddamn, it," cursed Fiona holding a piece of paper. "The gas bill's late. No wonder it's freezing in here."

Daniela moved over to nudge Ian with his arm, catching his attention.

"You said there was something you needed to tell me?" Realization filled his eyes and he quickly nodded, looking slightly terrified. He ushered her into the lounge where Daniela gave him a worried look.

"Mandy Milkovich tried to hook up with me last night." Daniela's eyes grew wide and her mouth dropped.

"Why?"

"The other day, Mr. Bancroft put his boner in front of Mandy's face so I put my bag out so that he would fall over." Daniela visibly shuddered as she thought of the sleazy prick that was Mr. Bancroft.

He had done the same thing to her the year before. She had then told her brother and after a stern 'talking to', the teacher- and his penis- never once dared to look in her direction again.

"What a hero," joked the girl as she playfully shoved Ian's arm. He didn't seem to find it amusing.

"Yeah and now she has some sort of crush on me. She came to see me at work last night and even stayed to walk me home. Then she tried to give me a blowjob but I refused and she ran out crying, and now I'm kind of freaking out." It was silent between them for a few moments before Daniela sighed.

"Well, you're fucked."

"Ella!" Cried Ian as she held her hands up in defense.

"Mandy is _definitely_ going to tell her brothers. You need to be careful, Ian." Her friend sighed and nodded his head.

"I know, that's what I'm afraid of." Daniela laid a comforting hand on his shoulder and gave him what she hoped was a reassuring smile.

The two teens headed back into the kitchen and sat down at the table. Daniela sat down on the left of Ian and made herself a bowl of oatmeal.

"Hey Kev, can you pass a toast?" The man handed her one as Daniela dug into her oatmeal. She normally wouldn't eat at the Gallaghers but today she had skipped breakfast to talk to Ian.

Said boy set his elbows on the table- his hands clenched together- and breathed out.

"I think I can see my breath," he grimaced.

"We need $587 or they won't turn the gas back on," informed Fiona. Lip, who was sitting across from Daniela, turned and spoke.

"I'm taking the PSATs for some Polish kid over on Ridgedale. He's supposed to give me like a hundred bucks." It had always amazed Daniela how smart Lip was.

His careless, don't-give-a-damn attitude always made her forget how intelligent he really was. Even in their shared trig and physics class, he tended to not speak unless he disagreed with something the teacher or one of the other students said.

"I saw online that we could get an extra $200 a month from the state if we say Carl's retarded." Daniela stifled a laugh at Debbie's suggestion; Carl not helping by acting strangely.

"I get paid Friday," said Ian to which Fiona nodded.

"Okay, I'll figure out the rest." The woman then looked at the clock before quickly ushering them out of their seats. "School, let's go. Everyone out!" Daniela stood up from her seat and slung her backpack over her shoulder.

Ian, who was quickly finishing up his breakfast, followed before holding the door open so everyone could get through.

"Such a gentleman," smirked Daniela as she stepped past. Ian laughed before closing the door behind him.

/

Daniela had never been so bored in her life. She honestly didn't know why she had chosen Physics as one of her subjects when she sucked shit at it and couldn't care less that distance = speed x time. She honestly wondered how she was even still in the class considering how little she knew.

Daniela found that she was far more creatively minded than logically; preferring creative writing, art or even woodshop. Trig was the only thing math related subject that she properly understood. Sadly, two of her classes had clashed and Physics was the only thing that she could take instead.

So here she was, doomed to a period of a class she never wanted to be in.

Daniela could feel her exhaustion deepen, fuelled by the utter disinterest she held for this subject. She slowly felt herself drifting asleep but was pulled out of it by the teacher calling her name.

Dazed and confused, she furrowed her eyebrows at him.

"What?" Her teacher stared at her unimpressed as her classmates snickered.

"Perhaps you could supply us with the answer, Miss Kaufman?" He raised an eyebrow at the girl as she still sat there stunned. Daniela trailed her eyes towards the blackboard where a whole lot of numbers and symbols stared back at her, none of which, she understood.

Wracking her brain for an answer- any answer- Daniela begin to fidget uncomfortably and she realized that almost all of the class was staring at her. Suddenly, a bored voice spoke up from the other side of the room.

"The velocity= 53m/s." Daniela turned to stare at Lip who was slouched back in his chair, twirling a pencil between his fingers. Their teacher, Mr. Davis, turned to the young man and huffed.

"Thank you, Mr. Gallagher. Though perhaps next time you could allow Miss Kaufman to think for herself." He turned back to the blackboard, carrying on with his teaching and Daniela found that she was incredibly thankful for Lip's interception.

She shot him a thankful look to which he simply replied with an eye roll before staring at the board. Daniela scoffed and rolled her own eyes wondering why she even tried to be nice.

 _Ass._

/

Daniela was making her way to the Kash & Grab to see Ian when she noticed three men stepping out of the store.

"Yo, Kaufman!" Yelled one of them after spotting her. The girl visibly stiffened at the sight of the boy but tried her best to come off nonchalant.

Mickey Milkovich advanced on her, flanked by two of his brothers. Daniela fought back a cringe at the sight him; her eyes and nose feeling assaulted. The boy came up to her and Daniela did her best to keep staring him in the eyes.

"Where's your friend, Ian, huh?" Daniela shrugged, pretending to be bored.

"How am I supposed to know?" Mickey let out a quiet chuckle and rubbed his fingers against his mouth in frustration.

"You see, Kaufman. That little ginger-pubed bastard attacked my sister, so we need to make him pay. You get me?" He cracked his knuckles in her face to further explain.

"And you seriously believe that Ian would do something like that?" Laughed Daniela, crossing her arms over her chest. "Please, Ian wouldn't touch Mandy with a ten-foot pole. He knows better than to mess around with a walking STD."

In a flash, she found herself turned around and pushed against a wall. She let out a cry of pain when Mickey twisted her arm behind her back.

He leaned his face down beside her ear before applying more pressure.

"You better watch your fucking mouth, Kaufman. Don't think we haven't forgotten about what your father did. You might just be next." With a final twist, he released her before turning and leaving.

Daniela cradled her throbbing arm. When she tried to extend it, a sharp pain jolted her shoulder making the girl cry out. She felt something wet falling down the side of her face and lifted her uninjured arm to see what it was.

When she pulled her fingers back, she realized that it was blood and that she must've cut her head on the wall when Mickey pushed her into it.

"Fuck," she cursed. Knowing that she should probably get it checked out, she made her way to see Veronica.

/

"Ow! Fuck, V!" Cried Daniela as she clenched her teeth. She was currently laid down on the sofa in the Gallagher lounge. Her head had been patched up and V had assured her that it wasn't too serious but to be careful just in case.

The woman standing above her rolled her eyes before giving her a sympathetic smile.

"Sorry babe, but it's dislocated. I'll need to push it back in." Veronica began to push on Daniela's arm again, causing her to groan loudly at the pain and twist. Veronica stopped and looked at the girl in frustration.

"You need to stop moving or I won't be able to do this." Sighing, the woman stood up before heading into the kitchen and quickly returned with a tea-towel; rolling it up and sticking it in-between Daniela's teeth.

"Bite down on this." Without warning, Veronica began again on Daniela's arm. The girl, not bothering to hide her pain, screamed into the tea-towel. Sweat began pouring down her face before she heard the click of her shoulder being put back into place. Veronica stepped back proudly, admiring her handy work.

"There, all done." She pulled the towel out of Daniela's mouth and began dabbing her forehead while the girl let out a relieved sigh.

"Your grandmother was asking about you the other day," informed V as she began wrapping Daniela's arm in a sling. "Was wondering when you were gonna go and see her next."

Daniela's grandmother had been staying in the age care facility where Veronica worked for six months and hated it more and more every day. The old lady's only enjoyment was when her grandchildren would visit. However, she was always trying to convince them of her plans to sneak out.

"I might go see her tomorrow." She hissed slightly at the dull pain still lingering in her shoulder but it was far less bad than it had been before.

"Thanks, V," smiled Daniela tiredly.

"You're welcome, babe. Now, you wanna tell me what happened?" Veronica sat down on the coffee table and raised her eyebrows causing the girl to sigh deeply.

"Mickey Milkovich was looking for Ian and then he and his brothers confronted me. I may have implied that their sister was disease-riddled and the rest is obvious. Then he left before reminding me about how he hadn't forgotten about what my father had done." Veronica tutted and shook her head at the girl.

"You shouldn't have egged him on." Daniela shrugged defensively.

"I know that. But he was accusing Ian of something he didn't even do and well, I just couldn't help myself."

The woman gave her another disapproving look before standing up and grabbing a bottle of pills. She threw them and Daniela caught them with her other hand.

"For the pain," she explained. Daniela struggled to open the bottle at first before popping two of the pills into her mouth.

"Just, try not to do it again." Daniela nodded her head and was just in the process of leaving when Lip walked in, looking like complete shit.

"Jesus Christ," said Daniela, astonished. "You look terrible."

The boy had blood everywhere and even with his hood up, she could see that his nose was broken. Lip gave her a once-over before his eyes settled on her arm.

"I could say the same for you."

Veronica rushed over to him and carefully grabbed his face to observe his wounds.

With a curse, she pulled him into the kitchen and sat him down at the table as Daniela curiously followed. She had no doubt his injuries were also from Mickey.

She stopped by the fridge before pulling out a bag of frozen peas and placing it on her shoulder; the cold helping to alleviate the pain slightly.

Frank- who was already in the kitchen- gave her a confused look before turning back to Lip and Veronica.

"Ella," addressed V looking at the girl. "Got a tampon?" With a strange look, Daniela nodded before heading into the lounge where her bag was and returning. The woman nodded in thanks as she took it and unwrapped it. She then proceeded to shove it up Lip's nostril.

"Nothing sucks blood up better than a tampon," explained Veronica as she continued her observations.

"The nose is the most commonly broken bone in boys between the ages of 13 and 25."

"That's fascinating, but who's the old dude?" Questioned Lip. Daniela had briefly wondered the same thing when she came in but was in too much pain to ask.

"It's not a dude, it's your Aunt Ginger," answered Frank, taking a swig from his bottle. Daniela looked at the man- who was so _clearly_ a man- and shook her head.

"Nope. That's a dude." She also couldn't help but notice that he looked slightly familiar.

"What, the one that owns the house?" Asked Lip again and Frank nodded.

"That's right. Ginger! Say hello to your nephew." The man in the corner just looked plain confused and Daniela wondered where Frank had even found this guy. Fiona turned to her father with a tired sigh.

"Dad, stop."

"Why is he trying to pass off Mr. Perry as Aunt Ginger?" Wondered Lip curiously. Suddenly it clicked in Daniela's mind.

Mr. Perry! The old bus driver.

"Who?" Replied Frank.

"Mr. Perry, he used to drive the bus," answered Daniela as she walked over to the man. Leaning down, she smiled at him. "Sup, Mr. P." The man gave her a dazed smile in return.

"Yeah, now he sleeps behind the dumpster over at the A&P," continued Lip.

"Social Security wants to talk to Ginger and he's too lazy to get the real one." Daniela snorted, not surprised at all.

"That's kind of retardedly brilliant," praised Lip.

"Thank you."

"Or brilliantly retarded," said Fiona

"Thank you," replied Frank, unfazed.

Daniela moved to sit down at the table as Fiona got up to speak with Frank. She felt Lip's eyes on her as she sat down.

"What happened to you?" He asked, tilting his head. Daniela shrugged.

"Probably the same thing that happened to you," she gave him a once over. The boy nodded before Veronica whacked his shoulder to get him to stop moving.

"You're as bad as this one," she said, flicking her head over in Daniela's direction. The girl raised her one hand in defense.

"Hey, you try getting your shoulder popped back into place without squirming." She sighed before looking at Lip again, the sight of a tampon sticking out of his nose nearly made her burst out laughing, the situation reminding her of that movie _She's the Man_.

"Have you heard from Ian?" Asked Daniela in curiosity.

"Nope," answered the boy, popping the P.

"How are we gonna get Ginger?" Spoke Fiona to Frank. The man stumbled with his words.

"She's dead."

"What?"

"Who's dead?" Questioned Debbie.

"Aunt Ginger," answered Lip.

"No!" Cried the young girl.

"Debs, you never met her," stated Lip softly.

"And now I never will!" Daniela stood up from her seat before moving to wrap an arm around Debbie's shoulders.

The two girls listened as Frank and Fiona went back and forth over Ginger's death. Daniela was shocked to learn that the lady had died twelve years ago.

"What are we gonna do now?" Pondered Fiona causing Veronica looked up from the table, an idea lighting up her eyes.

"Well..."

/

Daniela made her way through the retirement home, Veronica and the others trailing behind her.

So apparently, the great plan was to steal an old person for a little while to pretend to be Aunt Ginger before quickly returning her. She heard Veronica rattling off information about each of the elderly woman as they stepped into the next room.

Daniela's eyes surveyed the faces before locking on one in particular. She made her way over to the woman who was sat by herself in a wheelchair, glaring at everyone. The old woman's eyes softened entirely when they fell onto her.

"Daniela!" She cried happily, her voice laced with a thick German accent.

"Grandma," beamed the girl as she bent over to give the lady a hug and kiss.

"You've finally come to break me out of this _shit-hole_ , yes?" The elder lady whispered into her ear. Daniela let out a short laugh before shaking her head.

"Sorry, Grandma. Not today." She took a seat beside the woman and looked at her. Wilda Kaufman was a tough, old bitch.

At the age of 18, a young Wilda left her country of Germany for France during the height of World War II. There, she met a French sailor who she quickly fell in love with before discovering he was already married. Two children spawned from their love affair, Daniela's father being one of them.

However, the man she had fallen in love with chose his wife over her, leaving a 22-year-old Wilda to provide for herself and her two sons. Wilda had faced hard times, but she made it through for her boys and when Daniela's father was fifteen, Wilda took her sons and made for America, looking for a fresh start.

Their family had settled in Chicago ever since.

Wilda's eyes widened when she saw the cast on Daniela's arm.

"What happened to your arm? Do I need to kill someone?" The young girl rolled her eyes playfully.

"No, Grandma. It was nothing serious." Daniela noticed her grandmother's raised eyebrow but was glad when the lady did not push any further.

"Made any friends yet?" Asked Daniela as she relaxed in a chair beside her grandmother. The woman scoffed and shook her head hatefully.

"These old boring bastards annoy me.". Daniela grinned and shook her head, managing to pick up on what her grandmother was saying.

"I'm sure they're not that bad." Wilda tsked before gesturing to a woman who seemed to be having a conversation with a plant.

"Crazy old people," she stated and Daniela refrained from reminding her grandmother that she was also old. Wilda made a gesture, symbolizing someone who is mental.

Turning back to look at her granddaughter, she sighed childishly.

"Why must I stay here? It is hell. I want to leave!"

"Grandma, you can't leave. Dad said this place would be good for you." At the mention of Daniela's father, the woman sucked her teeth.

" _Stupid boy!_ He doesn't know what is good for me. I don't need to be here. I should be with my grandchildren!"

"I know this upsets you, Grandma. But I can't get you out." Wilda was silent, letting her anger and frustration ease away.

Daniela looked around to see that Fiona and Debbie had taken their pick of the litter and were currently in the process of leaving. Turning back to her grandmother, she squeezed her hand before planting a kiss on her cheek.

"Bye, Grandma." Wilda returned her farewell but tugged her hand back before she could leave. The old lady stared deeply at her, seriousness showing in her eyes.

"Go see your father, child. I know he misses you." Daniela stared at her grandmother uncertainly.

She hadn't properly spoken to her father since her mom had been diagnosed. With a reluctant nod, the girl squeezed her grandmother's hand one last time before following after Fiona and the rest of the gang.

/

When Daniela arrived at the Gallagher home, Ian was there. The red-head, who had been sitting on the couch, stood alert when his eyes landed on his friend's arm and forehead.

Rushing over, he tentatively touched her bandage, his own forehead creased.

"Was this Mickey?" He asked but Daniela stayed silent. Ian's jaw tensed as sorrow and guilt filled his face. "I'm so sorry, Ella. This is all my fault."

"No, it's not," denied Daniela. "I egged him on. Besides, you weren't the only topic of discussion."

"Your dad?" Daniela nodded slowly causing Ian to sigh.

"Anyways, I just wanted to make sure you were still alive," joked Daniela with a sigh. "I think I'm gonna head home. These painkillers V gave me are making me drowsy."

"What's your brother gonna do when he sees your arm?"

"Freak out, probably. I'll just say I got into a fight after school that resulted in me dislocating my shoulder." Ian gave her a look, showing that even he wouldn't believe that. Daniela was not one to get into fights. At least, not without good reason.

Ian wrapped his arm around her shoulder carefully before laying a kiss on the top of her head.

"I'll see you tomorrow." The girl nodded before leaving.

As she stepped out of the door, she heard the hollering voices of Mickey and his brothers across the street. The noise got louder when they spotted her.

"Hey, Kaufman! How's the arm?" Cackles followed but Daniela kept her eyes straight, counting each step that she took before she finally reached her own house.

She closed the door before leaning against the wooden frame. Her eyes dropped to her shoulder and to the sling. She didn't even know how long she had to wear this thing for.

Making a mental note to ask Veronica about it tomorrow, Daniela made her way to the stairs. She stopped halfway up when she saw her brother coming out of the bathroom. Cursing silently to herself, she tried to sneak her way past.

She failed.

"Dani?" The girl turned to her brother and watched as shock, quickly followed by anger, filled his face. Storming forward, he observed her arm.

"What the hell happened to you?"

"It was nothing," assured Daniela with a wave of her single hand. "Just a bit of an argument at school." Jakob scoffed and crossed his arms.

"Sure, sis. Now you wanna tell me what really happened?"

"I did! A girl pissed me off so I hit her."

"You're not usually one to start fights, Dani."

"Technically, she started it. I just finished it," corrected Daniela.

"Well, then why didn't you go to the hospital?"

"I didn't want to run the risk of running into you or mom so I went to V instead."

"And why didn't the school call me?"

"It was after school." Jakob sighed tiredly before running a hand over his face.

"You're being completely honest?" Daniela nodded.

"Please, no more fights, Dani. It's kind of the last thing I need right now." Biting her lip, Daniela nodded, feeling slightly guilty for putting added stress onto her brother. She knew he was just trying to keep them afloat.

Leaning forward, she gave him a one-armed hug.

"I'm sorry Jake, it won't happen again." Her brother simply nodded tiredly as Daniela turned to enter her room.

/

Daniela was woken the next morning by a persistent knock at the door. The girl groaned and pulled a pillow over her head.

"Jake! Door!" It was with a groan that she realized her brother had probably already left for work by now. She was stirred once more when she heard a voice calling her name.

"Daniela!" The girl rose from her bed slowly and made her way to the window that overlooked the street. Her eyebrows creased when she saw Lip standing there.

Pushing open the window, she leaned her face out.

"What do you want?"

"Good morning to you too," scoffed Lip. "I think Ian's gone to confront Mickey on his own." Daniela's face paled before she quickly shut the window. She hurried down the stairs, quickly grabbing a coat and sneakers.

When she opened the door, Lip was standing there waiting, a cigarette dangling from his fingers. He observed her pyjama-clad state with a raised eyebrow.

"Come on let's go!" Hurried Daniela, not wanting to waste any more time.

The pair quickly made their way towards the Milkovich house and Daniela was starting to curse her healing arm. She had tried to put her jacket on but in her frenzied state, she had forgotten about her sling and the fact that it would be very difficult to put the coat on.

Unfortunately, this did not leave her in a very good state. She was currently in a loose tank top, pajama shorts and sneakers. Lip gave her a curious look as they jogged.

"Are you wearing a bra?" Daniela's eyes widened as she felt the hint of a blush travel up her neck and onto her cheeks. She was not wearing a bra.

Throwing an annoyed look at Lip she continued on.

"Fuck you." Her embarrassed response made the teenage boy smirk as she wrapped her good arm around her chest.

Lip wasn't going to lie. Her running braless beside him was a distraction; and not entirely a bad one. Her breasts were by no means small, a good D cup and if the boy wasn't currently trying to catch up with his brother, he'd probably consider trying to sleep with Daniela. It wasn't like it was the first time he had thought of it. If only she wasn't such a frosty bitch.

The boy was pulled out of his hormonal thoughts by Daniela pointing to a figure crouched behind a bin across the street from the Milkovich's house.

"There," she said before moving towards Ian. Lip followed closely behind.

Ian gasped as they snuck up behind him.

"Shit," he swore taking in both of them.

"So what's the plan?" Questioned Lip, bobbing behind the second bin. Daniela crouched behind the third, looking through the gap to the house across the street.

"Hit Mickey over the head with a bat when he comes out."

Daniela scoffed. "That's a shit plan."

Lip nodded in agreement.

"What about the other brothers?"

"They'll probably beat me to death," noted Ian causing Daniela to roll her eyes.

"And I repeat; shit. Plan. I can not have you dying on me Gallagher. I can't lose my ginger." Ian looked at his concerned friend and gave her a warm smile. Daniela was just looking out for her friend. She took care of the people she loved.

"I'll fight him off while you run," said Lip. Daniela looked at the boy's hand to see him holding a brick.

"Wait, if you're hitting Mickey, and Lip's hitting the others, who am I supposed to hit?" Lip rolled his eyes before turning to her.

"No-one." His response did not sit well with Daniela.

"Mandy it is then. I've been itching to hit the bitch."

"And how are you planning on doing that with one hand?" Asked Lip with a smirk. Daniela raised an eyebrow at him.

"I wasn't aware you needed two to punch someone."

"This is my problem alright, not any of yours," snapped Ian, making them look at him again.

"It'll be fun," shrugged Lip. "I owe them one."

"Me too," added Daniela as she motioned to her banged-up shoulder.

Their attention moved back to the house when they saw Mandy step out. A grin grew on Daniela's face at the sight of her.

"Me first," she stated, moving to go around the bin. Ian grabbed her and pulled her back down before she could get away. A perplexed Daniela stared at him.

"Just, wait here," he said before going after Mandy.

"What?" Stuttered Daniela. "What is he doing?" She hissed to Lip. The boy shrugged and they both waited for Ian to return.

"Get away from me, you fucking perv!" Daniela shot up at the sound of Mandy's voice.

"That fucking bitch." She made her way out and across the street, her fist itching to collide with Mandy's face. Lip pulled her to a stop and the two watched as Ian explained to Mandy that he was gay. Ian turned back to his brother and friend who were watching carefully.

"You guys can go. I'll be okay." Daniela didn't want to but knowing that this was what her friend wanted, she left.

"Do you think she'll stay quiet?" Wondered Daniela as she chewed nervously on her cheek. Her good arm was wrapped tightly around herself, trying to fight off the bitter cold.

Lip shrugged, finishing lighting his cigarette.

"I guess we'll soon see." The pair silently made their way back to the Gallagher's. Lip noticed the girl beside him freezing, rolling his eyes at her pathetic attempt to put her coat on with one arm. Daniela slowed to a stop and curiously looked at him when he tore it out of her hand.

Wordlessly, he placed the coat around her shoulders before continuing to walk as if nothing had happened. Behind him, Daniela welcomed the warmth from the coat and pulled it tighter around herself.

/

Later that night, after she had finished work at the K&G, Daniela made her way to Ian's. She frowned when she heard the sound of female laughter coming from his room.

Daniela's eyebrow raised when she saw Ian and Mandy sitting together, the two looking incredibly chummy. Ian spotted her and smiled widely.

"Hey," he greeted as Daniela looked between the two.

"Hey," she replied slowly. Mandy kept quite, probably feeling a little uncomfortable around Daniela.

"Mandy and I are dating now," informed Ian humorously causing Daniela's eyes to widen.

"Sorry, what?"

"Well, she's my beard." The girl nodded, barely understanding before sitting on the desk adjacent to Ian's bed. Mandy continued to stay silent towards Daniela and the girl could feel the awkwardness wash over them. The Kaufman's and Milkovich's had history so now that Mandy was 'dating' Ian, things would be a lot different.

Feeling a buzz in her pocket, Daniela checked her phone to see that her brother had messaged her saying that he was driving to the hospital soon if she wanted to come. Not really wanting to be around Mandy, Daniela replied with a yes before standing up. She felt Lip's eyes on her as she made her way towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Frowned Ian. The girl turned and flashed him a quick smile.

"I'm going to see my mom. Bye Fiona," said Daniela as she made her way past the stunned woman.

Fiona stared at the girl curiously before turning and looking at Ian and Mandy on the bed.

"Hey, above the covers," was all Daniela heard before she made her way down the stairs and out of the house.

* * *

Things with the Milkovich family and Daniela's family will be explained later on. Daniela and Mandy will have a difficult relationship- as should be expected- as the only thing really connecting them at the moment is their friendship with Ian.

I hope you enjoyed!

 **REVIEW!**


	4. Casey Casden

**Chapter 4.**

This chapter is a bit more focused on Daniela and her family than her and the Gallaghers. Mainly because I didn't think she would really have a big part in this episode.

I got a lot of great responses to the last chapter which I am very happy and thankful for.

 _Special thanks to_ Vanessa, RoseRedGurl, guest, alysegxx, gurl19, hrodenhaver, runawaycherry93, Mr. Kittles3, ericaannm and scarlettsoilder!

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Shameless.

* * *

It had been almost a week since Ian and Mandy had started 'dating' and things had gotten better. Mandy and Daniela were civil around Ian when they hung out but for the most part, they spent time with him when the other wasn't around.

Daniela's arm had healed right up and Veronica had given her the green light to take the sling off, much to the girl's delight. She had not enjoyed wearing it.

Daniela stared in concentration as her hand moved over the sketchpad in her lap, the low hum of her brother's truck filling the inside of the vehicle. The radio played quietly over it. Her right arm was propped up on the windowsill, holding her head up while her left hand controlled the pencil.

Jakob sat in the driver's seat, chewing on the inside of his mouth with both hands wrapped around the steering wheel.

Neither had said anything to each other throughout the whole journey. Daniela's jaw was tight as she shaded in a particular area.

"It won't be that bad," spoke Jakob as he threw her a quick glance. His sister's only reply was a scoff and roll of her eyes. She heard him sigh before speaking again.

"He's always asking about you- when you'll come and visit." Daniela looked up from her sketchbook to stare stoically out the window.

"Come on Dani, he's our Dad," pleaded Jakob. "You haven't seen him for nearly two years."

"I didn't really have anything to say to him," shrugged Daniela.

She knew she was being stubborn, but she had never had a close relationship with her father. It didn't really help that her father completely _ruined_ her sixth birthday. Now that was a day she'd never forget.

/

 **Ten and a half years ago.**

It was was a hot day when Daniela turned six. Summer was finishing up and the last of the heat was on full display that day.

Her olive skin soaked in the sun's rays appreciatively as she played outside. She heard a warm voice calling her name and turned to see her mother standing in the doorway watching her.

The woman stared at her daughter with love, the young girl looking so much like her apart from the eyes, a lovely hazel- the perfect mix of her own and her husband's.

"Yes, Mama?"

"It's time to open your presents." Daniela's eyes lit up in excitement as she ran inside, causing her mother to laugh.

Daniela made her way into the lounge where her brother sat alone. Jakob gave her a small smile as he stood up from his spot.

"Where's Dad?" Asked Daniela as she looked around for him. Her mother sighed and shook her head.

"He had to do some work today at the shop." The young girl pouted at his new information.

Her dad worked a lot and Daniela knew that it wasn't just cars that he fixed at the shop. Some nights he would come home with a bloody nose or fists.

Mom had told her that it was just part of her dad's job and that she didn't need to worry about it. One night she had asked her father what had happened. He had replied with 'just business'.

"Here you go little sis," grinned Jakob as he handed her his present in an attempt to take her mind off of their father's absence. Daniela eagerly opened it and grinned when she saw an art book.

Throwing her arms around her brother's neck, she thanked him. The teenage boy laughed before giving her a kiss on the cheek.

Daniela's mother was next. Her gift was a book of Spanish lullabies she could sing to Daniela and that the young girl could learn.

"Thank you, Mama."

"You're welcome, mija _._ "

"I hope you didn't start without us!" Announced a voice from the front door. Daniela ran to her grandmother when she walked in closely followed by her father, Lawrence.

Wilda let out a jovial laugh as she wrapped her arms around the girl. Daniela pulled away to look up at her father when she stopped.

His nose looked broken and there were blood stains on his shirt. Daniela's eyes were level with his hands where she saw that the skin on his knuckles was torn as dried blood clung to it. Camille rushed to her husband when she saw him.

Placing her hands on the side of his face, she glared. "What happened?"

Lawrence sucked on his teeth and pulled his face out of his wife's grasp.

"Nothing. Just business," he grunted turning away. Wilda scoffed from her place.

" _Stupid boy._ " Her son's head swiveled around to glare at her, earning him a smack with her walking stick. Camille looked down at her daughter who stood still staring at her father's bloody fists.

"Come. Clean yourself up. It's your daughter's birthday for Christ's sake." Lawrence looked down at the girl as if finally realizing that she was watching before turning and following Camille up the stairs into the bathroom.

Daniela felt two hands fall gently onto her shoulders and looked up into the hazel eyes of her brother.

"How about we check out that art book?" He suggested.

Momentarily forgetting about the state of her father, the young girl nodded eagerly and headed to the coffee table where the book laid. Wilda moved over to sit with her grandchildren, smiling as she observed their excited interactions.

 _/_

Daniela stirred awake when she felt someone shake her shoulder gently. With bleary eyes, she looked at her brother and then out the window to see that they had arrived and were now parked in the visitor's carpark.

"We're here," announced Jakob with a smile. Unclicking his seatbelt, he hopped out of the car and waited for her to do the same.

Daniela reluctantly got out and wrapped a scarf around her neck when the biting cold hit her.

Together the siblings made their way through the security check and inside to the front desk. The woman behind the desk instructed them to sign in while she informed another guard over her monitor that there were visitors for Lawrence Kaufman.

When she was finished and Jakob and Daniela were done signing in, she provided them with two visitors badges, telling the siblings to wear them at all times.

"Thanks," nodded Jakob clipping his on to the breast pocket of his shirt. Daniela clipped hers to the waistline of her jeans as she had nothing to clip it onto on her shirt.

A guard led them through doors and down a few corridors until they came to the visiting room. Daniela sighed deeply as she mentally prepared herself.

She had never had a close relationship with her father. He wasn't abusive or anything, just... _absent_. Jakob and him were much closer.

"Ready?" Asked her brother, raising his eyebrow. The girl nodded surely before walking in.

They found an empty stall and sat waiting for their father to enter on the other side of the glass. Since there was only one seat in front of the glass, Daniela opted to sit on one behind Jakob.

She watched as the other prisoners talked to their partners, children, and families. Then her father stepped into the room. Daniela noticed the air of superiority surrounding him as he sat down across from them.

His eyes widened slightly when he spotted Daniela.

Picking up the phone he began talking to Jakob with Daniela only getting half of the conversation. She picked at her fingernails, a habit she had when she was in an unfamiliar place. The last time she had been here was almost two years ago when Jakob and herself had to tell her dad about her mom's cancer.

Daniela felt her father's eyes on her numerous times flicking between Jakob and her.

"Dani," called her brother and she looked up to see him holding the phone out slightly.

Swallowing, the girl stood up and they switched positions. Her hand clenched around the phone as she looked into the green eyes of her father. His voice was soft when he spoke.

"Daniela."

"Hey dad," replied the girl, awkward and disconnected. Lawrence noticed this and inhaled deeply.

"God, Dani. You've grown so much." Her father's eyes shone with something akin to sorrow as the girl coughed uncomfortably at her father's use of the nickname her family had given her when she was a child.

Jakob had wanted a little brother so naturally, he was disappointed when Daniela was born. For the first few years of her life, the boy would treat her like the little brother he never had, only addressing her by the nickname, 'Dani'.

The rest of her family caught on quickly and it had been that way ever since. To hear her father address her so personally felt strange.

"Yeah," she smiled sadly. She wasn't really sure what to say. What could she say to a man that she barely knew?

"You're so beautiful. Just like your mother." At the mention of her mother, both father and daughter went silent. Lawrence's head dropped down, staring at the bench where one of his hands was curled into a tight fist. His jaw was clenched tightly.

"How is she?" He asked, his voice hoarse.

"She's stable, I guess. Gets taken care of at the hospital." The man nodded quickly.

"Good. That's good." He looked up from his uncurling fist and into his daughter's hazel eyes.

"Look, I'm really glad you came. I know this can't be easy for you," sighed Lawrence as he gave her an earnest look.

"Yeah. Well, I kind of promised Grandma that I would come down." Daniela watched as her father nodded, a look of disappointment flashing across his face before quickly disappearing.

"And how have you been? How's school?" The girl found herself rolling her eyes in annoyance at her father's tedious question.

"Is this how it's gonna be?" Fumed Daniela. "You and me, _talking_. Acting like this is normal? Like this _isn't_ completely strange and uncomfortable for us?"

Lawrence raised one hand in defense. "I'm sorry. I just don't know you as well as I should."

"Yeah, well who's fault is that?" Scoffed Daniela as she felt tears building in her eyes, but she wouldn't allow them to fall.

"I really want to get to know you better, Dani," stressed Lawrence, his figure leaning forward. "I know I wasn't around much, what with running the whole illegal business and the... well. And I've still got another 5 years maximum for what I did. But I've already missed out on so much of your life. Do you think-"

The man's jaw clenched and Daniela knew that this was hard for him.

Wearing his heart on his sleeve was not something Lawrence had the luxury of doing; especially in prison.

"Do you think, that you could allow me to get to know you better?" Daniela stared into her father's hopeful eyes. She wasn't going to lie; she was hesitant. Memories came to the surface that still haunted her if she lingered on them too long and Daniela wasn't sure if she was ready for it just yet.

"I don't know, dad. What you did- I'm still getting over it."

"It's been nearly eleven years, Dani!" Argued Lawrence, feeling his frustration mount.

"Eleven years isn't _nearly_ enough time to get over the image of your own father _murdering_ someone!" Tears were furiously pushing their way out now, angering Daniela. The girl wiped at them furiously with one hand.

It seemed that her words had silenced Lawrence.

The man sat hunched over with his head down. His hand weakly held onto the phone but he didn't bother talking. He knew he had hurt her, and that killed him.

"Time's almost up," stated Jakob, tapping Daniela gently on her shoulder. She nodded at her brother before turning back around.

"Bye, dad." Daniela gave her father one final look before hanging up the phone and collecting her scarf and jacket that she had left on the seat behind her.

As they made their way back to the front desk, Jakob wrapped an arm around her shoulder and squeezed her. Neither said anything, but Daniela was thankful for her brother's comfort.

The girl had settled herself back into the seat in her brother's truck, her mind filled with thoughts about her dad and how the visit had gone. To help take her mind off of it, she pulled out her sketchbook and a pencil.

Once again the car was silent, and neither sibling felt like talking. Daniela became alerted when a news report came over the radio.

 _Police are still investigating the disappearance and possible kidnapping of three-year-old Casey Casden. The boy disappeared from a birthday party at his house earlier today. His parents and the community are desperate to find Casey. He was last seen wearing a Superman costume._

 _The family and police would appreciate any information possible on the whereabouts of young Casey Casden._

Daniela's eyes widened when the report was finished.

"Casey Casden? I babysit for the Casdens!"

"Poor parents," murmured Jakob. Daniela nodded in agreement.

"Hopefully he wasn't kidnapped. What kind of sicko would steal a three-year-old? Hey, do you mind dropping me off there? I just wanna go and speak with his parents. You know, offer my help."

Jakob nodded with a smile. "Sure thing, sis."

When they pulled into the street where the Casdens lived, it was full of people. Nearly the whole community was there. Police, reporters and news vans also littered the area. Daniela hopped out of the truck with a quick thank you to her brother.

Making her way over to the house she spotted Casey's parents amongst all of the people.

"Linda, Michael," she greeted as they both turned to look at her. Daniela's heart clenched at the utter sorrow on their faces and offered each of them a hug.

"I'm so sorry to hear about what happened," said Daniela pulling back.

"Thank you, Daniela," sniffled Linda. A woman who had been standing beside them tapped Linda on the shoulder before pointing down the street to two approaching figures.

"I don't believe it," said the woman in shock and awe. Both Daniela and the parents turned to see Debbie walking towards them, holding the hand of little Casey.

"Debs?" Questioned Daniela to herself. Linda and Michael immediately made their way to the girl and Casey with the teen following closely.

"My baby, my baby," breathed Linda as she bent down to pick him up. "Where have you been, we've been worried sick!" Daniela moved towards Debbie who stood watching with a happy smile.

The teen turned when she heard Fiona running towards them and then frowned when she saw the woman stuff what looked to be a red cape in Debbie's hands. Daniela's eyes widened as her mind processed everything.

"Where did you find him?" Questioned Linda thankfully.

"He was walking all by himself. I didn't know where he lived," answered Debbie, offering out the red cape.

Michael took it and stuttered some type of thanks. When he couldn't express his gratitude in words, he pulled out his wallet and started throwing money at her.

"Take it, take all of it!" He cried and soon everybody else followed his lead. Daniela stood beside Debbie in awe as money rained down to the ground around them.

When things had quieted down, Daniela turned to raise an eyebrow at the young girl.

"Debbie?" She asked expectantly. The girl nodded her head and rolled her eyes.

"It's a long story." The teen laughed and looked up to see that Ian and his brothers were stood collecting the money for Debbie. Her friend smiled at her when she came up to them.

"Oh, hey, Ella," greeted Ian casually as he stood on one of Frank's hands. The sight made the girl's lips twitch up into a smirk as the man on the ground protested against such actions.

"Alright, I am your father," protested Frank. Ian and Lip applied more pressure to his hands causing him to eventually let go of the money and surrender. The man stood up and waved a disapproving finger at his children before marching back into Sheila's house.

"That was entertaining," mused Daniela with her hands on her hips. "What did I miss?"

Daniela and the three brothers made their way over to a truck parked on the side of the road, Ian filling her in on the day's events as they walked. They stood and watched as Fiona hesitantly let Debbie leave with Tony to give a statement.

"Of course we had to return him so Lip came up with this whole elaborate plan that ended up actually working," finished Ian, placing his hands into the pockets of his jacket.

"You sound surprised," smirked the older boy as he placed a cigarette between his lips.

"Wow. Who knew you had a brain up there?" She drawled making Lip flip her off with a dark look. "What are you going to do about the water heater?"

"Probably just go through the obituaries for our next target." The girl laughed before looking over to where Linda and Michael stood, grasping desperately onto Casey.

"Lip!" Yelled a voice from behind them and all three teenagers turned to see Karen approaching. She gave Lip a flirty smile before turning and saying hello to Ian and Daniela.

"Wanna go for a walk? It's so overcrowded here," Lip nodded eagerly and followed after her as they took off down the street.

"Wanna head back to your house?" Asked Daniela turning to face her red-headed friend.

"Sure."

/

Daniela sat adjacent to the Gallaghers on an armchair in the living room. They were all currently in the middle of watching the news about the finding of Casey.

"You did good, Debs," smiled Daniela warmly before second guessing herself. "Although, I would refrain from stealing any more toddlers from birthday parties. Or just stealing toddlers in general."

The young girl giggled and nodded her head. "I promise I won't."

As they settled back in a voice from the kitchen caught their attention. Daniela relaxed back into her chair when she realized it was just Steve.

A minute later, both of them returned, with Steve pushing a toy stroller and baby, thrilling Debbie.

"Oh my god!" She cried out in joy. "For me?"

"Absolutely. For doing such a good job today," grinned Steve. Daniela smiled at the young girl as she named her new baby Gin-Gin- after Aunt Ginger- and ran upstairs. Ian sighed and stood up from the couch.

"Want a beer?" He asked to which Daniela nodded. Carl perked up from his spot.

"Can I have one?" He eagerly asked.

"No," replied both teenagers firmly causing the young boy to slump and head upstairs muttering about how lame they were. Daniela laughed quietly before heading into the kitchen and taking the beer from Ian's extended arm.

"Oh, how did it go with your dad?" Daniela bit her lip at the question and her hands fumbled with the beer bottle

"It wasn't awful but it certainly wasn't amazing." Ian nodded and tilted his head.

"Sometimes I wish Frank was in prison. Just so we wouldn't have to deal with him for awhile." Daniela smirked and took a swig from her bottle.

Suddenly, the back door flew open and in stepped Veronica carrying a pack of beers and practically beaming.

"Wow! What's the special occasion?" Questioned Daniela and was shocked when Veronica grabbed both sides of her face before kissing each cheek.

"I'm getting married!" She announced gleefully. The teen's eyes widened as they both offered their congratulations.

"Come! Come!" Waved Veronica as she headed out the door again. "I have more drinks." Ian and Daniela went to help her and soon Lip showed up with Karen.

As they came back inside, Fiona and Steve came down the stairs, curious as to what all the commotion was.

"What the hell? Champagne?"

"I'm getting married," announced Veronica once again and everyone erupted into cheers.

"Let's get this party started!" Ian flipped on the stereo and soon the kitchen turned into party central.

"Care to dance, milady?" Smirked Ian holding out a hand. Daniela laughed and took it.

"Why of course, fair sir!" Ian snorted and led her to where Veronica was currently dancing.

Daniela danced with both of them, letting the positive vibes wash over her. As she danced, she felt a pair of eyes on her but was too occupied to care who it was.

They continued on that way until Daniela grew tired and out of breath.

Grabbing another drink, she sculled it back eagerly. Soon everyone else settled down, also tired and thirsty.

The teen gushed over wedding dresses with Veronica along with the bachelorette party and everything else. Soon, the woman's mother came and began talking to her daughter so Daniela left to talk to Ian.

Everyone headed outside when they heard a weird beeping noise. Fiona scoffed in astonishment when she saw Debbie signing some papers for a delivery.

"What's all this?" Asked Daniela.

"It's our new water heater," informed Debbie brightly. "I got it on sale."

"All right, Debs!" Laughed Lip. Debbie grinned before chirping off instructions about where to install it.

Daniela headed home soon after that. It was Monday the next day and she couldn't afford to go to school hungover.

Climbing the stairs, she headed into her room and sluggishly crawled into her bed, pulling the pillow close to her. She sighed as she thought of how eventful her day had been.

As she let herself drift asleep, a memory came to mind, one that had started off entirely promising before plummeting in a matter of moments.

/

 **Ten and a half years ago.**

"Okay, mija. Make a wish!" Clapped Camille happily.

Daniela grinned, leaned forward and blew out the candles. Her family clapped for her as her dad pulled out a knife and began cutting the cake.

A loud crash stopped him and soon three men came bounding in brandishing guns and knives. Daniela's eyes widened and she felt a pair of arms wrap around her, pulling her away from the table. At first, she screamed but stopped when she noticed it was just Jakob.

"Kaufman!" Bellowed one of the men; the leader.

Daniela's father glared at the man, his fist tightening around the knife he still held. Lawrence's eyes quickly flicked around to his family who stood, wide-eyed and watching. Camille had her hands raised as she stood rooted in front of the kitchen counter.

Wilda glared at the three men, eager to tear into them and show them what she was made of, but she wasn't stupid. She knew she would lose the fight and most likely her life.

Jakob stood protectively in front of Daniela who was huddled in a corner with tears streaming down her face. She didn't know who these men were. All she knew was that she wanted them to get the fuck out of her house.

"What do you want, Milkovich?" Drawled Lawrence, his jaw clenched tightly. The man, Samson Milkovich, grinned and walked slowly towards him.

"You know what I want. Why I'm here. You fucked us over, Kaufman! And Terry's not happy. Where's our money?" He demanded, shoving Lawrence with his gun.

"Tell your brother I'll get him his money as soon as I get mine."

Samson scoffed at Lawrence. "What fucking money?"

"The money that you owe me for those guns you've got there. And all the other shit I get for you," answered Lawrence coolly. The man in front of him spat.

"This ain't a fucking negotiation!" He pressed the barrel of the gun into Lawrence's forehead.

"Lawrence!" Yelled Camille from her position but soon found that the gun was now pointed at her.

"Keep your mouth shut, whore. Before I do it for you."

"Asshole," spat Wilda, her narrowed eyes burning into the invaders.

"You wanna be next, Granny?" Threatened Samson angrily.

"Hey!" Interjected Lawrence, bringing the man's focus back to him. "How about we settle this later? Can't you see we're trying to celebrate here," the man gestured to the birthday cake that no longer seemed to emit any happiness.

Samson's eyes switched to Jakob and Daniela, the girl cowering frightfully behind her brother.

Sucking on his teeth, the big brute of a man nodded and flicked his head at the other men, signaling for them to leave.

"This ain't over, Kaufman," warned Samson pointing a finger at the other man who simply fixed him with a cool stare.

"Puta," hissed Camille as the last of the men filtered out, causing Samson to halt in his steps. Turning slowly, he stared murderously at her.

"What did you just say, bitch?" Camille stood her ground, showing no fear. This caused Samson to turn an ugly shade of red. His hand wrapped around her forearm in a vice-like grip.

Shaking her, he demanded her to tell him what she said. The woman's only response was a wad of spit in the man's face.

Samson growled and went to smack her head against the kitchen counter when he suddenly halted.

With a choked sound, both he and Camille looked down to see blood dripping onto the ground. Lawrence stood behind the man, an arm on Samson's shoulder and the other holding a knife in his back.

Lawrence twisted the knife back and forth, causing the large man in his arms to cry out. Pulling out the knife, he watched as Samson fell to the ground, blood beginning to pool around him. Lawrence wiped a piece of blonde hair out of his eyes with the back of his bloodied hand.

Looking up to his wife, he saw that she stood there shocked, her eyes focused on the dying body of Samson Milkovich.

"Jakob," called Wilda, drawing everyone's attention after a lengthy silence. The woman pulled some money from her pocket and handed it out in his direction. The thirteen-year-old boy stood frozen. "Take your sister and get some ice-cream."

It was then that Lawrence realized his Daniela, his daughter, had been there the whole time- had witnessed him killing a man. He felt his heart tug slightly at the sight of the clearly distraught girl.

She was crouched in the corner, tears streaming down her face with her eyes fixated on the pool of blood.

"Jakob," said Wilda again, this time more firmly.

Her sharp tone seemed to shock the boy out of his frozen state and slowly he turned and picked up his sister, pushing her face into the crook of his neck before walking past the dead body and taking the money from his grandmother's hand.

When the pair finally got out the door, Wilda turned and stared agitated at her son and daughter-in-law.

"Do you have any idea what you've just done, boy?"

It wasn't long till the police were beating down and their door and Lawrence was arrested, sentenced to a maximum of 17 years behind bars. Traumatized, Daniela made a habit of never seeing or talking to her father after that.

* * *

It took me a long time to finish up this chapter, I was trying to write the flashbacks as best, and quickly, as I could. This was more of a background chapter like I said at the beginning. I'm not 100% happy with the finished product but I really wanted to get this out.

Thanks for reading!

 **REVIEW!**


	5. Three Boys

**Chapter 5.**

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Shameless.

I know Daniela hasn't really interacted with Lip properly.

Next chapter is Parent Teacher Night and that is when the plot will really start to kick in and their relationship will build.

 _Special thanks_ to guest, scarlettsoldier, Ivoryskin, lynnenikko666 and Pixie Poet!

Enjoy the chapter and please don't forget to review. Even just a simple 'great job' goes a long way for a writer.

* * *

Daniela wiped a hand over her face in exhaustion as she made her way out of her last class of the day. It had been Art, which really wasn't that bad- great actually! But the day plus her two jobs had drained her and she found that she couldn't properly focus.

Opening her locker, she slowly began loading in books and grabbing her bag.

She let out a shriek when she closed it, coming face to face with an unfamiliar person. He gave her an apologetic look for startling her.

"Sorry, Daniela," he said sheepishly. The girl narrowed her eyes at him, trying to put a name to the face.

"I'm Simon," he smiled. "We have trig together." Daniela nodded in recognition.

"Right, what's up?" The boy seemed shy all of a sudden and Daniela vaguely sensed where this was going.

"Well, I was just wondering if things were over with you and that Gallagher kid?" Daniela did a double take.

"Who?" She frowned curiously and grabbed onto the straps of her bag.

"The red-head one. Ivan or something. I thought you two might've broken up because now he's dating and hanging around with Mandy Milkovich." Simon gave Daniela a look like what he was saying was completely obvious.

 _Did everybody think Ian and I were dating?_

Sure they basically only hung out with each other but that didn't mean they were in a relationship. Simon _was_ right about Ian hanging around with Mandy though. However, that was only at school- for appearance's sake.

Majority of the time, Daniela hung out with him after school at his house or at work. He was still her best friend and this whole thing with Mandy hadn't dampened their friendship much.

"Oh no,"answered Daniela, taking in Simon's disappointed expression. "Ian and I weren't dating. He's just my best friend." The boy noticeably perked up at this knowledge. He rubbed a hand on the back of his neck nervously and Daniela realized that he was kind of adorable.

Awkward, but adorable.

"Well, i-in that case," Simon cleared his throat, building courage before looking her in the eye. "Would you like to go on a date? I mean it doesn't have to be a date, it could just be us hanging out. No candles or roses or anything like that. Just two friends- or acquaintances, getting to know each other and all-"

His rambling was brought to a stop by Daniela pressing a finger against his mouth. He stared with wide eyes at her as she pulled the digit back.

"Sure, Simon," she smiled, trying to not let her tiredness show. Simon began bouncing on his heels slightly.

"Cool, great! Um, well is Friday okay?"

"Yeah, Friday's good," nodded Daniela and pulled out a pen and paper from her bag before scribbling her phone number down. "Text me the details. Bye, Simon." She handed the boy the note before turning and making her way home.

She needed sleep.

Daniela was awoken two hours later by a banging on the front door.

"Ella!" Came a voice. The girl groaned and sat up in her bed. Wiping the drool off of her face, she shuffled her way down the stairs to open the door. She was greeted with a smiling Veronica.

Daniela frowned at her. "Sup, V?"

"I wanted to know if you were still up for coming to Target with Debbie and me to pick things for the wedding registry?"

"Wait, I thought the wedding was off," wondered Daniela. Veronica shook her head in response.

"Nope. Well, it's not actually going to be a _legal_ wedding. I'll explain it later, so do you still want to come?"

"Yeah, that sounds great!" Grinned Daniela. "Just let me get a coat."

When Daniela was ready to go, the two women made their way to the Gallagher house to get Debbie.

"Hey, Debs you ready to go to Target?" Called Veronica when they stepped inside.

The two were hit with a strong smell as they entered the kitchen, causing Daniela to wrinkle her nose. She couldn't tell if someone had puked or if it was cheese. Veronica shared her thoughts.

"What's that smell? It's either vomit or fancy cheese." Daniela saw the Gallaghers crowding around what seemed to be a lasagna on the table.

 _That explains the smell._

"It could be both if you want," stated Carl, eating lasagna out of a cup.

"Target?" Questioned Fiona from the fridge.

Daniela moved to sit next to Ian and grabbed a piece of cheese from out of his plate and popped it into her mouth. Her friend responded with a fake glare.

"Debbie and I are going to help V register gifts for the wedding," informed Daniela, picking another piece.

"Stop that!" Laughed Ian, gently smacking her hand away. He handed her a cup and fork so that she could get her own.

"I thought the wedding was off," frowned Fiona at her best friend to which Veronica just shook her head at.

"Back on." Daniela dug into her lasagna and moaned at how good it was.

"Where did this even come from?" She asked, looking at Ian.

"Fiona got it in return of a clean pee sample."

"Damn, tell whoever it was I'll pee in a jar for her if she'll give me free food," joked Daniela, taking another bite. Veronica also came over to taste the lasagna and lit up when she finished.

"Damn, you tell that girl, Sonny I will crap on a paper plate for her if it'll get me some of this grub!"

When Daniela and Debbie were finished eating they left with Veronica and took Kev's truck to go to Target.

/

The next day, Daniela had work at the K&G. It was inventory night and there were shelves that needed to be restocked. Linda began writing out a list of the things that needed to be refilled and handed it to Daniela.

Both of them heard the bell above the door ringing and looked up to see Ian walk in in his ROTC uniform.

"Better late than never," greeted Kash, moving over from the fridges.

"Even better, on time," complained Linda assessing Ian. "What's with the costume?"

"ROTC," answered Ian proudly. "I made lieutenant colonel today." Daniela gasped and rushed around the counter to hug her friend.

"Congrats, Ian!" She felt him chuckle against her as he squeezed her back.

"Thanks, Ella," she pulled back to see her friend positively beaming.

"That's great!" Congratulated Kash, carrying a box to a shelf.

"Congratulations. When I get back I want the new stock shelved with all the labels facing the same direction," ordered Linda. "I gave Ella a list of everything there is."

"Where are you going?" Frowned Kash to which both his wife and Daniela rolled their eyes. Linda had told him an hour ago where she was going.

"Your head is like a funnel," said Linda in exasperation. "The boy scout trip is this weekend."

"Muslim's have boy scouts?" Pondered Ian making Daniela snicker quietly.

When Linda finally left, Daniela got to work on bringing out the new stock. She walked in from the back to see Ian and their boss standing closely and making plans.

"Why do I feel like the third wheel here?" Questioned Daniela to herself. Kash turned and looked at her, embarrassed whereas Ian just grinned cheekily at her.

"Maybe you should finally get a boyfriend," joked the red-head as he took the box from her hand. "How long has it been?" Daniela flipped him off in response before placing her hands on her hips.

"I'll have you know, I've got a date on Friday," smiled Daniela. Ian looked at her in surprise and cut open the box.

"Who's the _unlucky_ gentleman?" He asked and laughed when she shoved him hard.

"Asshole. And his name is Simon. We have trig together."

"Oh yeah, I think I know the one. He's liked you for a while I think." Daniela frowned at her best friend as she loaded tubes of Pringles onto the shelf.

"How do you know?"

"He was always staring at you at school," answered Ian and Daniela shrugged.

"Doesn't mean he liked me. He thought we were dating though. And that we had broken up because you're dating Mandy now." Ian laughed and shook his head.

" _Please_ , like _I_ would date _you,_ " smirked the red-head. Daniela's mouth fell open in shock before she whacked him on the arm with another tube of Pringles.

A smirk of her own graced her face when her best friend yelped in pain.

/

"Hey," greeted Ian after school the next day. Daniela smiled at her friend and greeted him back. "You coming with us to see Father Pete?"

"Ew, Pedo Pete?" Scoffed Daniela throwing a disgusted look at her friend. "Why would you want to go and see him?"

"Well, Kev and V need a real priest to conduct the wedding otherwise they don't get the money V's father left behind for her. So, Lip came up with an idea to use Carl as bait so we can blackmail him," informed Ian quickly and casually.

Daniela's eyes grew wide and she shook her head. "Wow." Shrugging her shoulders, she sighed. "Okay, it sounds interesting."

With that, the pair made their way to Ian's house and met up with Carl and Lip who were already waiting for them. Daniela ruffled Carl's hair as a hello and looked at Lip who gave her an unimpressed look.

"I suppose you're coming too?" Daniela narrowed her eyes at the boy and held her chin up childishly.

"Yes, I am." Rolling his eyes, the boy sighed and gestured with his head for all of them to start walking.

As they made their way to the church, Lip and Ian began giving tips to Carl on what he should and shouldn't do.

"Smile," instructed Lip, pulling a cigarette out of his pocket and putting it in between his teeth. "Make it look like you actually _want_ to be an altar boy."

"But I _don't,_ " frowned Carl angrily.

"Just pretend," spoke Ian.

"What do I do if he tries to take my pants off?"

"You hit him over the head with something heavy," responded Daniela as if it was obvious. "Just don't kill him." The small boy looked at her and laughed.

"Awesome."

"Or!" Interjected Lip, throwing a dark look at Daniela. "You just call out to us and we'll come get you." Carl didn't seem as happy with his brother's option compared to Daniela's.

"Nah, I like her idea better." The girl fixed Lip with a satisfied smirk and continued walking ahead of them, feeling his narrowed eyes on her.

/

"Why do I have to do it?" Asked Carl once again as the four of them made their way through the seats and towards Father Pete's office.

"Because you're the only one who's young enough to be an altar boy," answered Lip smoothly behind them.

"We'll stop him before anything goes down," assured Ian from up on a row.

"Or anyone," smirked Lip. Daniela also found the comment amusing, the corner of her mouth tugging upwards before ruffling Carl's hair again.

"And if we don't get there in time, just do what I told you to do." The young boy looked up at her and smiled mischievously.

Ian knocked his fists against the door of Father Pete's office, causing the man to look up from his book. Daniela tried to fight a scowl at the sight of the repulsive man.

"The Gallagher boys!" He greeted before his eyes traveled to Daniela. "And Miss. Kaufman. How lovely to see you." His beady eyes roamed her body before looking back to the boys. "If you're here to steal the offering basket, you're out of luck. Already off to the bank."

"No, no," denied Ian taking off Carl's beanie. "Carl here is interested in being an altar boy." Daniela could practically see Father Pete's eyes light up at the news.

"That's a big responsibility," he said.

"Yeah we know, we tried talking him out of it," sighed Lip as he rested a hand on his brother's shoulder. "But he cried and cried so we thought we'd bring him in." Father Pete bent down and smiled at the young boy.

"Hello there, Carl." Daniela tried not to outright laugh at the boy's poor effort of a smile.

"Be back for you in a bit, bud," whispered Lip to Carl before the three teenagers left the office.

Daniela made her way to the seats and stood on top of one, looking up at the ceiling and over the railing below. She hadn't been to church in forever. While she wasn't exactly religious, she had certain beliefs and had attended church with her mother and brother.

"Wanna watch Scarface tonight?" Asked Lip to his brother.

"Can't, got a date."

"Ooh, Mandy date or Kash date?"

"Kash date," admitted Ian placing Carl's beanie on the seat beside him.

"You're a slut, man," grinned Lip cheekily. His attention turned to Daniela who was still wandering around looking at the church. "How about you?" The girl turned and looked at him blankly.

"What?"

"You wanna watch Scarface tonight?" Daniela raised an eyebrow at him. She found it hard to believe he would actually want to spend time with her.

Shrugging her shoulders, she shook her head. "Can't. Got a date."

"Ugh, you two suck," groaned Lip, leaning against the railing.

"Maybe you should make some friends."

"No thanks."

A grunt sounded out from Father Pete's office, ending their conversation. The three teens opened the door to see Carl standing over a pained Father Pete, swinging a thurible. Daniela laughed loudly at Carl's smug expression.

"Nice job, Carl!"

"Looks like we have a priest for V's wedding," smirked Lip throwing a pitiful look at the man curled up on the floor.

/

After the priest was secured, Daniela split off from the three boys and made her way home to prepare for her date.

Not really sure what to wear, she went fashionably-casual, choosing a nice shirt, jeans and flats. Simon had messaged her saying he would pick her up at 7:30 from her house leaving Daniela with two hours to get ready.

 _More than enough time._

She was done by 7 and so decided to go and see what her brother was doing downstairs. He was sat at the kitchen table, looking over some papers she deducted as bills judging by the crease in Jakob's forehead.

Daniela moved to stand behind him and peered over his shoulder.

"Hospital bills?" She questioned with a grimace.

"Yeah," answered Jakob, rubbing a thumb over his mouth. The girl sighed and sat down beside him.

"Can we afford it?"

"Just," scoffed Jakob before going quiet. "I'm thinking about selling the shop." Daniela frowned at her brother curiously.

"Why's that?"

"Well, for starters, it started out as a cover-up for dad to sell illegal items and now it just sits there. There's not much money rolling in from it. And I don't exactly enjoy the idea of running it for the rest of my life."

"What would you do instead?"

"I don't know," shrugged Jakob. "Get a real job. I've got skills and my diploma." Daniela nodded and looked down at her hands.

She had never really cared for the auto-repair shop so the decision didn't really bother her. It was just the question of where they would get money from if they closed down.

"I think you should just do what you want. If you want to sell it, sell it. But maybe just make sure you have a job set up before you do it." Jakob nodded and placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Thanks, sis."

A knock at the door caught Daniela's attention as she rose from her seat. Jakob threw her a curious look.

"You going out with, Ian?" The girl shook her head and picked up a small shoulder-strap bag.

"No, um, it's a date." Daniela watched as her brother's eyebrows raised slowly. Casting a quick glance at the door he narrowed his eyes at his sister.

"Do I need to give him the talk?" The girl rolled her eyes and shoved her brother making him bout out a laugh.

"Dick," she muttered, moving to open the door. She smiled when she saw Simon standing out on her porch.

"Hey, Simon." The boy looked nervously excited before pulling out a single rose from behind his back.

Shyly, he handed it out to Daniela who took it with a soft smile.

"For you."

"I thought we agreed on no roses? Let's get going." Simon nodded quickly and was shocked when Daniela looped her arm through his as they made their way towards the L.

/

The pair came to a restaurant and Daniela's eyes lit up when she saw that it was an all-you-can-eat buffet. She turned and gave Simon an excited look as they made their way inside. It was by no means a fancy restaurant, neither of them would be able to afford that. But it wasn't a dump either.

The hostess led them to a booth before encouraging them to eat to their heart's content.

"I will don't you worry", assured Daniela. The boy across from her laughed as they got up to fill their plates.

Simon had already returned by the time Daniela got back but hadn't begun eating. The girl slid her plate onto the table before shuffling herself into the booth.

"This looks amazing!" Beamed Daniela happily.

"Not as amazing as you," spoke Simon.

 _Smooth_.

"That was terrible."

"I realized as soon as I said it. I'm sorry."

As the two settled in and began eating, Daniela realized that she didn't really know Simon and began to ask him questions.

Over the course of the next two hours, she learned that Simon: had an older sister named Amber who was away at college, was allergic to dogs, liked the color orange, lived with his mother and that his parents were separated, that he was actually quite smart, and that he hated public speaking.

Daniela had told him the basics of her life, not really going into much detail about her father's incarceration. She figured he probably had a broad idea of it all seeing as it ended up traveling throughout the neighborhood.

By the end of the night, Daniela was delightfully stuffed. Simon had walked her home and had been hesitant about what was appropriate for a first date. Daniela had taken the lead and kissed him on the cheek. The boy had then walked happily home, a wide smile on his face.

Daniela made her way up the stairs and collapsed on her bed. She had probably eaten too much but she didn't really care because she hadn't been able to do that in forever. Stretching herself out, she quickly drifted asleep.

/

The big day was here; Kev and V's wedding. Well, fake wedding.

Nevertheless, Daniela was excited and had even splurged some of her money from work to buy a gift from the registry. She wrapped it up beautifully, her artistic and perfectionist skills coming into place.

The girl showered and washed her hair, getting rid of the night before. She had woken up to two texts from Simon. One from when he had gotten home saying how much of a good time he had had and another from that morning wishing her a good day.

After typing back a quick response, she got out of bed and made her way into the bathroom to shower.

Once she had finished combing her wet hair and tying it up into a bun, Daniela grabbed her scarf and jacket before walking to the Gallagher house. She had to see Ian and make sure they were still going to the wedding together.

When she stepped into the house, she saw Veronica walking around the lounge in only her underwear. Fiona was sat on the couch beside Kev and Daniela couldn't stop the loud laugh that came from her mouth when she saw that he had a giant dick drawn onto his face.

 _Bachelor party must've been wild._

"I'm the maid of honor at your fake wedding and I didn't even know you had a brother!" Mused Fiona. Daniela frowned at Veronica and casually pointed a finger at her.

"You have a brother?" The woman gave her an exasperated look and continued pacing around in her bra and underwear.

"There's a reason for that," replied Kev lowly.

"He busted out of prison?" Guessed Fiona and Daniela was momentarily worried when Veronica informed them of her brother's colorful criminal record. The girl's eyes caught onto a figure making their way down the stairs.

"That's a good look on you," she smirked, crossing her arms and looking at his name written backward across his forehead. Lip frowned at her, obviously not knowing what she was talking about.

"Arson, who you talking about?" Questioned Lip, turning his attention towards V.

"V's brother," answered his sister with wide eyes.

"Oh is that like a sibling-brother or just a black guy-brother?" Daniela rolled her eyes at him before moving around him and heading up the stairs to see if Ian was there.

When she saw that he wasn't, Daniela turned to leave and ended up bumping into Lip. His arms came out to steady her which Daniela was thankful for as she had terrible balance. She looked up at him and into his narrowed eyes.

"Watch where you're going," warned Lip in annoyance as the girl's eyes traveled upwards to his forehead and she scoffed back a laugh.

"You should probably wash this off," grinned Daniela, gesturing to her own forehead. The boy's eyebrows crinkled once more before he moved to the bathroom door to see the writing in the mirror.

Groaning, he marched over to the sink and began rubbing it off with water.

Daniela raised an eyebrow and watched as he struggled to get it off. The writing had been done with permanent marker and was more difficult to get off than a regular pen.

Uncrossing her arms, she sighed and walked up behind him.

"That's not going to do anything," noted Daniela. Lips frustrated eyes met hers in the mirror.

"I suppose you have a better idea?" He quipped dryly. Daniela tilted her head slightly. She just might.

"Got any nail polish remover?" The boy nodded and gestured up onto a shelf where the bottle sat. Daniela nodded and grabbed it before grabbing a towel and wetting it with water.

Using her foot, she put the toilet lid down and gestured for him to sit. Lip gave her a wary look before complying. Daniela tilted the bottle upside down with the towel flush against it. She held it for two seconds before turning it right side up and setting the bottle down on the sink.

"Close your eyes," she ordered and once he had, she began gently wiping the towel against his forehead.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Mumbled Lip carefully. Daniela rolled her eyes at the boy and continued to wipe.

"Of course I do." She had needed to get ink out of her skin plenty of times before and this always helped.

Continuing her administrations, Daniela happily noticed that the ink was starting to fade away. Folding the tip of the towel over, she kept wiping. Lip's nose crinkled at the smell of the nail polish remover.

"Why the fuck does it smell so bad?"

"It's acetone," informed Daniela absently. One of the boy's eyes popped open and looked up at her.

"It won't kill me will it?" The girl rolled her eyes at his question and shook her head.

"No, it won't kill you. I just have to make sure I don't apply too much."

Standing back, Daniela smiled at her good work and leaned over towards the sink to dampen another piece of the towel and rub soap onto it. Both of Lip's eyes were open now and staring at her as she moved back and began dabbing his forehead again.

"This should be the last bit and then you'll be all done. There." Daniela nodded to herself, assessing her work, before cleaning everything up and putting it in its place.

Lip stood from the toilet and looked into the mirror, happy to see that the writing was now gone. Giving his brother's friend a look of approval, he nodded his thanks.

"No problem," responded Daniela lightly. "Any idea where Ian is?"

"Last time I checked, he went out with Mandy," shrugged Lip casually. Daniela pursed her lips and nodded.

"Alright, thanks. I'll see you at the wedding."

She folded the towel over her arm and made her way down the stairs into the kitchen. Leaving the towel neatly on top of the washer, she turned and made her way out the back door.

It was an hour and a half later when she got a call from Ian.

"Hey," she greeted cheerfully. "You still my date for the wedding?" Daniela's smile dropped when she heard Ian sigh and she knew the plans had changed.

"Yeah, about that. Sorry, Ella but Mandy really wanted to come and since we're like 'dating' now I thought it would be appropriate. Plus she's never been to a wedding."

"It's not even a real wedding," accused, Daniela.

She knew she shouldn't have been so angry at him but it was getting harder to get in some good time with her friend. She had hoped today would be a good opportunity for it.

Daniela hadn't replied yet and her friend was starting to grow worried.

"Is that okay, Ella?" Daniela swallowed her anger and childishness before nodding. When she realized that he couldn't hear her nodding, she replied verbally.

"Yeah, that's fine, Ian. No biggie." She could hear the relief in her friend's voice when he spoke again.

"Cool. I'll see you there." With a chipper response, Daniela ended the call and sat slouched on her bed.

She didn't want to show up to the wedding alone. She couldn't, and yeah she was all for empowering herself but that didn't mean she wanted to spend the rest of her night looking sad and lonely. Fake wedding or not, she needed a date.

Pulling out her phone again, Daniela looked through her contacts before settling on one and calling it.

"Daniela!" Simon's bubbly greeting sounded out over the phone. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling great. I called to ask you something actually." The girl bit her lip nervously. "Do you have any plans for today?"

"No, not that I can think of." Daniela took a deep breath and mustered up her courage. She had never asked someone out before.

"Would you like, want to come to a wedding with me? You don't have to, obviously,"

"I'd love to!" Daniela could practically hear Simon's smile in his voice.

"Great! Um, I'll meet you at the Alibi at 3."

"Sounds good," affirmed Simon before hanging up.

Daniela looked at her alarm clock to see that she had two hours before she had to meet with Simon and quickly got to work.

/

It was now five past three as Daniela got up to the door of the Alibi. Her hands fumbled with the ends of her dress before reaching up to make sure that her hair was in place and still looked good. She hadn't gone all out for today, but she definitely didn't look under-dressed.

Her dress was a lovely yellow, the color seeming to accentuate her tanned skin. It came to just above her knees and flowed out around her nicely. She had paired the dress with some white flats and a few pieces of jewelry. Her hair was natural, the long chestnut waves falling over her shoulders and behind her back softly.

Under one arm was her wedding gift.

Daniela smiled widely when she caught sight of Simon standing outside the bar. He returned her smile.

"You look amazing," he gushed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Daniela felt the heat rise up in her cheeks and stared at the pavement in embarrassment. Glancing up through her lashes, she gave him a look of approval.

"You don't look too bad yourself." Simon laughed and held out his arm for her to take.

"Shall we?" He asked smugly, raising an eyebrow.

"We shall," chuckled Daniela, looping her arm through his.

/

"May daily problems never cause you undue anxiety, nor the desire for earthly possessions, dominate your lives." Daniela watched and smiled softly as Father Pete continued his speech. Carl was stood beside her and looked smugly at the priest, something the girl noticed in amusement.

Nudging him gently, she smirked at the boy who in turn, held back a laugh. Their attentions then turned back to the couple getting married.

"Amen," finished Father Pete with a look of happiness.

"Amen!" The crowd responded and Daniela felt the need to add a 'whoop!' to hers. Simon chuckled beside her and gently pulled her against his side, something she was not at all against.

"You may now kiss the bride!" With the Father's last proclamation, the bar erupted into loud cheers of congratulations- Daniela being one of the loudest.

"I'm married, bitch!" Yelled Veronica gleefully. Daniela threw her head back in a laugh and clapped for her friends.

When they began to hurt from clapping too much, the girl accepted Simon's invitation to dance.

He spun her under her arm again, making Daniela cheer with excitement. She was pulled back, flush against her date and stared up at him.

"Thanks for coming with me," chirped Daniela as she leaned her head against his chest.

"No problem. Although, no girl has ever asked me to a wedding as a second date," joked Simon. She could feel his chest rumble from his laugh before she pulled back.

"Don't be getting any ideas."

"Never."

Leaning forward, Daniela carefully pressed her lips against his. It didn't take him long to respond, their mouths settling into a rhythm.

Feeling the need to breathe, Daniela pulled back and looked at Simon happily.

"Do that again!" Yelled a voice from beside them. Daniela looked to see Carl recording them, a grin plastered on his face. With a laugh, she shoved the camera in another direction and shook her head at the boy.

"Get out of here you little perv."

/

As the night went on, Daniela threw back a few drinks and quickly became hungry. Her sweet tooth was craving cake and she had heard from a reliable source that it was from Angelica's Bakery.

Moving over to where Veronica was, she smiled at her friend.

"Is there any cake?" The woman rolled her eyes and looked over to where Fiona was.

"Steve's supposed to be bringing it."

That answer was enough for Daniela to gather why it wasn't here yet. Although she didn't know Fiona's boyfriend very well, she did notice that he seemed to be a bit flaky.

Daniela pursed her lips and rubbed her belly sadly. Veronica downed a shot before wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

"I'm gonna go ask her about it," With that, the newlywed was off and across the room to where Fiona was.

Daniela watched them talk before Ian moved up to stand beside her. The red-head nodded to where Simon was coming out of the bathroom and raised an eyebrow.

"He's cute. I approve." Daniela let out a breathy laugh and shook her head. She felt her friend's arm come around her shoulder and she leaned comfortably into it.

"Mandy looks like she's having a good time," said Daniela with a look at the girl. Ian nodded and smiled.

The two friends continued to talk and laugh. Soon their dates joined them and the group fell into easy conversation. Daniela was happy to see that Simon and Ian had hit it off.

"Hey, Gallaghers!" Called Kev holding his arms up. The family looked at the tall man to see him holding a camera. "Come here." Daniela watched and stood from the side as the man got them to pose for a photo.

"Okay, Gallaghers, you're the only family I've got so let's put this on film."

"Do you want me to take the photo?" Questioned Daniela, moving beside him. Kev gave her a large grin before wordlessly handing over the camera and getting into place.

"Okay, on three ready? 1. 2. 3," the camera flashed as it snapped the family. Daniela checked it to make sure it looked good and moved to hand the camera back.

"Ooh, no you don't!" Objected Kev. "Get in here, Ella." The girl stared at him and Veronica in mild shock.

"Really?" His wide rolled her eyes in humor at the girl before waving her over.

"Get in here, girl. You're family too!" Daniela felt her heart swell in her chest from the love these people had for her. She felt Simon gently take the camera out of hands before nudging her over to the group.

The girl happily got down beside Ian and Carl, the older boy throwing the usual arm around her shoulder. Simon took three photos, making sure they were all good.

"Wait, where's Lip?" Asked Fiona abruptly. The rest of them looked around to find that he wasn't anywhere to be seen. Ian sent his friend a knowing smirk.

"I think I have a feeling where he is." Daniela rolled her eyes and scoffed in response, getting the hint. She was sure she had seen him and Karen sneak into the bathroom a while ago.

When it became late and Daniela could feel the tiredness running through her body, Simon offered to walk her home.

The pair came to a stop outside her door and Daniela reached up to press one more soft kiss against his lips before saying goodnight and heading inside.

Making her way upstairs, she barely managed to get her dress off before she was out like a light.

* * *

Like I said at the start, next chapter is when things really start to move. I hope you enjoyed and please don't forget to review, they're always encouraging and make me want to write more.

 **REVIEW!**


	6. Killer Carl

**Chapter 6.**

Parent's Night is the main focus of this chapter and also the beginning of the plot. Hope you enjoy, and please don't forget to review! It's always appreciated.

 _Special thanks_ to: gelpenVEVO, guest, oliviahood18, Kylie Winchester, GeorgaLin, I'm judging all of you and kida30821!

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shameless.

* * *

The ringing of the bell was practically a godsend for Daniela who was nearing death from boredom. She hated Tuesdays, mainly because her last period of the day was Physics.

Hastily packing away her things, the girl shoved it all into her backpack and was about to exit through the door with the rest of her classmates when her teacher's voice called out sharply. With a deep sigh, Daniela turned slowly to look at Mr. Davis who was stood in front of the board, unimpressed.

"Yes, Mr. Davis?" The man gave her a pointed look and gestured to a desk at the very front of the class.

Stifling a groan, Daniela knew she had no choice in the matter and made her way over, her butt plopping down on the plastic seat. She raised her eyebrows expectantly and watched as her teacher wordlessly walked behind his desk, opened a drawer and lifted out a stack of papers. Daniela bit back a grimace at realizing that the papers were the test she had done the week before.

The papers were dropped unceremoniously onto the girl's desk, a big fat F staring her in the face. Although Daniela knew that it was likely to happen, it still caused a sinking feeling in her stomach.

Covering up her disappointment, Daniela fixed her aging teacher with an innocent smile.

"Oops?" Mr. Davis made a dissatisfied grunt and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Oops indeed, Miss Kaufman," her teacher's sharp voice caused Daniela to drop her smile and stare down at her hands resting in her lap. "I know that Physics was not on your agenda originally. However, I at least expected you to put some sort of effort into my class, and this, Miss Kaufman, is simply unacceptable."

"I understand, Mr. Davis," nodded Daniela solemnly. Her teacher held a hand out to her, signaling that he was not yet finished.

"Am I right in thinking that you will be attending Parent's Night tomorrow?"

Daniela chewed on her lip unsurely and shook her head. "Not really Sir. You know, since my mom is in the hospital and all." The girl had hoped to avoid Parent's Night this year as one of her parents was currently residing in prison and the other in the hospital.

"And what of your brother? Jakob?" Pressed Mr. Davis, his eyebrow raised.

"I'm not really sure," shrugged Daniela.

"Well, I would like to request for the both of you to attend tomorrow night. I cannot allow this to continue," the man waved a hand at Daniela's test before picking it up and placing it back in his drawer.

Looking back up, he gave Daniela one last look before nodding his head to the door.

"I look forward to seeing you and your brother tomorrow night."

The girl rose from her seat eagerly and hitched the strap of her bag over her shoulder and left.

/

"I have to do what?" Asked Jakob as they made their way to the hospital. His sister walked beside him and rolled her eyes for the fifth time.

"All you have to do is wear a nice shirt and show up at Parent's Night to talk to my Physics teacher."

The tall man shrugged and nodded his head as they entered their mother's hospital room. "Sure thing."

They both looked to see Camille propped up in bed watching a Spanish drama on the television in her room. The woman's eyes filled with joy when she took in her children and waved them over.

Daniela placed a soft kiss on her mother's cheek before getting on the bed beside her and joining her in watching her program. It had been a thing of theirs for years now. At first, Camille had firmly denied having an interest in the telenovelas but one night Daniela had caught her mother curled up on the couch, immersed in an episode.

"I don't know what you two see in these things," sighed Jakob with a shake of his head. Camille lifted a finger to her lips and Daniela glared at her brother.

"Oh please, don't act like you don't enjoy them either," scoffed the girl. The man heaved a sigh and pulled a chair up to the bed so he could rest his elbows on it.

Rolling his eyes, Jakob waved a calm hand at his sister before settling in and staring up at the television with them.

"Well, I _was_ curious as to whether Eva was going to pick Alejandro or Marcos."

/

The next morning, Daniela made her way to Ian's to meet up with him so they could walk to school together. As per usual, the girl headed into the kitchen and found her friend loading up a cooler with items from the fridge.

"Don't worry about the ketchup, just the meat, and milk so it won't spoil," ordered Fiona as she threw together the lunches for the kids.

"Hey guys," greeted Daniela with a wave before gesturing to the cooler. "What happened?"

Ian gave her a quick smile before placing the lid on the cooler. "Forgot to pay the power bill so we have no electricity for the day." The girl frowned and shrugged her shoulders.

"Well, do you want to put that in my fridge until your power comes back on?" Fiona turned and gave her a grateful look and nodded.

"Thanks a lot, Ella. We owe you." Daniela waved the woman's thanks off with a grin.

"It's no trouble, Fiona. Ian and I can go drop it off quickly before school." The red-head nodded before lifting the cooler and following her out the door.

"Do you need any help carrying that?" Questioned Daniela, eyeing her friend. She felt kind of bad just leaving him to do the brunt of the work.

"No it's okay," laughed Ian. "My ROTC training is a lot worse than this." The girl smirked and shoved her hands in the pockets of her coat for warmth.

Making their way up the front porch, Daniela pulled out her keys and unlocked the door, allowing Ian to go through first.

The pair unloaded the contents of the cooler quickly before exiting the house and making their way back to his.

"So, how are things with you and Simon going?" Inquired Ian, wiggling his eyebrows. Daniela let out a puff of air and shoved her friend.

"It's just casual right now. We're still getting to know each other. But he does want to go on another date soon," explained the girl. She decided that she rather liked the boy and was open to the possibility of starting up a relationship.

"What about you and Kash?" Rebutted Daniela with a sly grin. The boy groaned and tilted his head back.

"I don't know. Things after that night at his house have got me all confused. I mean, we were there, in his room, where he and Linda sleep and where his children sleep down the hall. And it just felt really uncomfortable." The girl nodded her head in understanding.

When they entered the kitchen, it was buzzing as the Gallaghers prepared for their day.

"$430? Lip's flush this month," observed Steve, as he read the power bill.

"It's SAT season," stated Fiona, looking through the cupboards and holding Liam against her hip.

"He's always flush during SAT season."

"SAT?" Frowned Steve at Debbie.

"College tests," answered Ian as he took a seat at the bench. Daniela made her way over beside him and rested her elbows against the counter-top.

"He tutors?"

"No," interjected Lip. "Takes." Steve gave the boy an impressed look and nodded his head.

Ian began to load his lunch into his bag and addressed his brother.

"Oh hey, I got another lead for you."

"Well set it up douche. I'm taking it for someone else today, but there's another session in two weeks."

"All right," nodded Ian, zipping up his bag. Daniela stood from her seat and put her hands in her pockets.

"Shall we?"

"Hey, I'll give you guys a ride," offered Steve as he followed the kids out of the kitchen. Daniela and the others stood outside on the curb waiting for Steve to come out.

When he finally did, he unlocked the car with his remote and watched as the kids piled in. It was then that Daniela realized there wouldn't be enough room for her.

Biting her lip, the girl looked around awkwardly, deciding whether or not she should just walk.

"You coming, Ella?" Prodded Steve, frowning at her from the driver's seat. The girl shrugged and shook her head.

"Not enough room, I'll just walk." Ian was the next one to speak, leaning over Steve to address his friend.

"Come on, Ella. You'll be late if you don't." Knowing that her friend was right, the girl relented before shrugging her shoulders.

"Where am I gonna sit?"

"Just squish in, you should fit." Ian was right, Carl and Debbie were tiny and wouldn't take up much space.

With a nod, Daniela opened the door and hopped in. The two younger kids had already moved over, leaving her with just enough space to fit in beside Lip.

As she slid in, her knee bumped awkwardly against his. Narrowing her eyes, Daniela took in his spread legs that hogged most of the space.

"Do you mind?" She asked, signaling to his legs. "I don't wanna touch you more than necessary."

"Why? Afraid you'll catch some of my intelligence?"

Daniela scoffed loudly. "Please, the last thing I'd be catching from you is intelligence."

"You're right," nodded Lip sarcastically. "It would be a miracle if you could. Maybe you'd finally pass a Physics test."

"You are such an asshole."

"And you are such a bitch."

"Man-whore."

"Prude."

"Cun-"

"Woah!" Piped up Steve, quickly shutting down Daniela's next word. "There are young, innocent ears present."

The two teens looked at Debbie and Carl who seemed unfazed by their little spat, clearly used to it.

Steve sighed from the driver's seat and glanced at Ian with a frown. "Are they always like this?"

Ian, who had his head rested against the window, nodded tiredly. "Oh yeah." The man beside him threw a cautious look at the two in the back.

"I think Lip will have to sit up front for the rest of our carpools."

"Or the Ice Queen could just walk," suggested Lip darkly. Daniela opened her mouth to fire off another insult but she was cut off by Steve once again.

"No, she doesn't. We can work this out."

"Could you tell him to move his leg then?" Asked Daniela, crossing her arms over her chest. "He's man-spreading is taking up the whole back seat."

"Lip," said Steve, hoping they would just listen.

Sucking his teeth, the boy shifted his legs together, allowing Daniela more space for her own legs that were originally pressed against the door.

"Happy, Princess?"

"Very."

"See?" Smiled Steve from the front, his tone encouraging. "That wasn't so hard now was it?"

When Steve pulled up to the school, Daniela was the first one out of the cramped car, more than happy to be away from Lip.

With the others following, they all gave a quick thanks to Steve before heading to class.

/

"So are you guys are going to the parent-teacher conference?" Questioned Karen, perched up on the windowsill. She along with the Gallagher boys and Daniela were spending their lunch time in the bathrooms.

Both Lip and Ian laughed outright at the girl's question and shook their heads.

"Need a parent for that don't you?" Joked Ian with a smirk.

"I suppose it's off the cards for you too then, Daniela?" The girl looked up from her position against one of the toilet stalls to Karen who was staring at her, a cigarette dangling from her delicate fingers.

With a shrug, Daniela answered. "I have to go. Mr. Davis wants to talk to my brother about my work in Physics."

"Or lack thereof," commented Lip to himself. The girl still managed to hear him and shot him a dark glare.

Sensing the building hostility, Karen decided to change the subject to a lighter one.

"Hey, Louise got an A on the paper you wrote for her English class. How do you keep doing that?"

"Well, to master the art of the book report, you just take any novel, no matter when it was written, and you argue that the main character is a latent homosexual." Ian and Daniela scoffed at the boy's statement but he quickly explained why it was foolproof.

"And it works every time?" Frowned Daniela, clearly not believing him. Lip looked at her smugly, placing a cigarette between his lips and smirking.

"Every time."

The sudden sound of the door opening followed by two of the jocks entering gave Daniela a slight fright.

"1870!" Whooped one of them, locking arms with Lip in the way guys did as a form of handshake. The jock seemed to be ecstatic with the results Lip had gotten him and passed high-fives around the room. His eyes lingered on Daniela a little longer when his hand slapped hers.

Throwing her a quick grin, he left the room with another thanks to Lip.

The second jock, who had yet to say anything, stayed behind and stared at Lip.

"What happened, Tire? Not satisfied with your results?"

"Haven't come back yet," answered Tire in a clipped tone.

"Any day now," reassured Ian.

"I better not look stupid," warned the jock with a threatening look to Lip who simply shook his head.

"Impossible."

/

Later that night, Daniela and Jakob made their way up the school steps. The man scanned his eyes around the place, noting that the place had hardly changed since he had gone to school there.

As they made their way in, they came to a table where one of the office ladies handed them a schedule detailing the times of interviews with each of Daniela's teachers.

"Who's first on the list?" Asked Jakob, looking over his sister's shoulder to see the paper. Daniela dragged her finger across the page to read the name.

"Mrs. Carlisle. My Art teacher."

The girl was happy that this particular teacher was the first one as she was also her favorite and knew that the woman would have nothing but nice words to say about her.

"She hot?" Smirked Jakob as he followed his sister to the Art room. Daniela rolled her eyes and threw him a pointed look.

"She's married."

As they entered, they saw Mrs. Carlisle who was finishing up displaying the students' artwork. The woman turned when she heard them come in and threw Daniela a wide smile.

"Daniela! Lovely to see you." The blonde-haired woman dusted her hands off before offering one out to Jakob. He accepted it and gave her a charming smile, causing his sister to elbow him sharply in the side.

"Married," she reminded him, hiding it behind a cough. Her brother gave her an amused look before turning back to the now-flustered teacher.

/

"I would appreciate if you refrained from flirting with any more of my teachers," groaned Daniela as they made their way out of a meeting with her history teacher, Miss Williams. Her brother had once again cranked up the charm on her teacher who was nearing her 50's.

Jakob let out a loud laugh and clapped his hand on his sister's back.

"Okay, okay. Where to next?" Daniela glanced down at her sheet and groaned once more when she saw that it was Mr. Davis.

"Physics," she muttered dejectedly.

With her shoulders slouched, the brunette led her brother down the hall to where her Physics class was. On the way, she spotted Simon who was stood beside a woman who looked very much like him. She realized that it was most likely his mother and gave him a quick smile and wave when he caught her gaze.

"Is that the guy you went on a date with?" Piped up Jakob, throwing a curious look Simon's way. Daniela nodded as they entered the Physics room.

Mr. Davis was already waiting for them and became alerted when the siblings finally stepped in. Rising from his chair, the man offered a hand out to Jakob before gesturing for the two of them to sit.

"Mr. Kaufman, it has come to my attention that Daniela is struggling quite a bit in my class."

"That's a gross understatement," muttered the girl, sliding into her chair.

"You see, she is unable to answer the questions I give her and has failed multiple tests since the beginning of the year."

"Gee, got any nice things to say about me?" Sneered Daniela, crossing her arms in a huff. Her brother threw her a quick glance before looking back at her teacher.

"I understand Sir, but from what my sister's told me she didn't even want to be in this class." Mr. Davis rested his elbows on his desk and made a steeple with his hands.

"I am well aware of Daniela's lack of interest in my class but that does not mean I will tolerate her lack of effort." The girl simply sat there in silence, anger filling up inside of her.

Knowing that she should just keep her mouth shut to prevent her from getting into any more trouble, she opted for a simple roll of the eyes.

"Is there any way Daniela would be able to fix this?" Inquired Jakob with a deep frown. Mr. Davis nodded sharply before casting his eyes to Daniela's.

"In order for Daniela to pass my class, and also the year, she would need to maintain a B average."

Shooting up from her seat, Daniela stared at her teacher with wide eyes.

"B average? How is that supposed to happen?" The old man remained calm and collected in the sight of the teenager's frustration.

"I would suggest a tutor who could help you with Physics. Someone who is very brilliant." Daniela slumped down in her chair once more.

"And who exactly would I get to tutor me?" Asked Daniela in a bored tone.

/

She knew the answer as soon as she spoke the question, but that didn't mean she was going to ask.

Daniela couldn't stand Lip, and vice-versa, so why would he even entertain the idea of helping her. Plus there was the fact that she couldn't really pay him as basically all of her money went to helping pay the bills.

Walking out of the classroom alongside her brother, Daniela caught sight of the boy she was currently thinking of. He was stood down the hall, with his siblings- excluding Ian, who Daniela knew was working.

"Maybe a tutor is a good idea, Dani," proposed Jakob with a meaningful glance at his sister. The girl threw her hands up in exasperation before placing them on her hips.

"Who's side are you on?"

"I'm on the side where you graduate school and actually get somewhere with your life," argued Jakob with a sigh. Daniela looked down at her hands and knew that her brother was right.

Making it out of this shit-hole was everyone's dream and Daniela found that it was also one of hers. Glancing back up into her brother's eyes, she relented.

"Okay." Looking back over to where Lip once was, she saw that they were now gone.

Heaving a sigh, she and her brother made their own way home.

/

After returning home, Daniela noted that Ian's shift would be over and that he would most likely be home already. With a quick goodnight to Jakob, she began her walk to the Gallagher house.

Stepping through the door, she saw that Ian had indeed just got home and was in the process of taking off his winter jacket.

"Hey," he smiled, noticing her. "How did the meeting go?" Daniela collapsed down onto the sofa and tilted her head back.

"Mr. Davis wants me to get a tutor but I don't know where I'm gonna get one." The girl felt the sofa sink down beside her as Ian relaxed.

"You could always ask Lip," suggested the red-head lightly. Daniela scoffed and shook her head.

"He'd never say yes. Besides, I wouldn't be able to pay him."

"You'll never know if you never ask him," shrugged Ian.

The pair were then bombarded by the rest of the Gallaghers (plus Steve), making their way into the lounge and sitting down.

"Good you're home," acknowledged Fiona to Ian who frowned at her.

"What's going on?" Asked Daniela, scanning everyone in the room.

"We are having an intervention for Carl," stated Fiona simply. The young boy was plopped down in the middle of everyone, his eyes traveling to all of them.

"I don't need an intervention," grumbled Carl as his older sister took hold of his hands.

"Carl, we're serious. The stakes are really, really high. We love you and we need you in this family- in this house. You need to stop biting and punching and hurting people," urged the woman seriously.

"Well, how else do I make them cry?"

"Gossip and slander," answered Lip casually.

"Yeah, blackmail is always a good way to go," encouraged Daniela with a soft smile.

"You know when I get really angry, I usually just count to 10," added Steve as a way to divert the two teens suggestions.

"Plus, you could always take up a sport. You know, release all that anger," nodded Daniela.

"Hey little man, you know what we're gonna do? We're gonna get you some pads and skates, get you out on the ice."

The group's suggestions of alternative ways to release anger seemed to work because Carl quickly agreed, making everyone happy.

When that problem was solved, Daniela relaxed once more with Ian and Carl on the sofa.

Hearing steps coming down the stairs, the girl peered behind her to see Lip making his way to the phone. Ian seemed to notice his friends unsure look and nudged her.

"It's worth a shot." Daniela nodded, building her courage, and stood from her seat.

"Hey, Lip," greeted the girl cautiously. She realized that this was the first proper time she had ever properly addressed him.

The boy looked up at her curiously, wondering what she wanted. He watched with a raised eyebrow as the girl in front of him, shuffled her feet and looked around the room avoiding his gaze.

"What is it?" He asked impatiently. He needed to make some urgent calls to the people he had taken the SAT's for.

"I was getting there," she shot back, sending him her signature glare.

"Well, do you think you could do it preferably in this century? I have important phone calls to make."

"Ugh. You are such a dick."

Lip bobbed his head and turned back to the phone. "Good chat."

"Wait." She sighed, crossing her arms over her chest and looking upwards like this was some kind of chore she had to take care of.

"I need a tutor for Physics. And since you're the best in the class I thought you would be the best option". Lip stared at her, letting her proposition wash over him.

"Did hell just freeze over or did you just compliment me?"

"Don't let it go to your head."

Smirking, Lip assessed Daniela with narrowed eyes. "And what do I get out if it?"

"The pleasure of knowing you helped someone succeed," smirked Daniela, tilting her head. The boy gave her an unimpressed look and shook his head.

"Sounds tempting but no." Daniela's face fell at the sting of his rejection. Lip returned back to his task and began dialing a number.

Knowing that she wouldn't be able to pass Physics without his intellect, she sighed and slammed her hand down on the phone, halting him from making a call.

Lip glared daggers at her, and his hand wrapped around her wrist to relinquish her hold on the phone.

"I'll pay you," huffed Daniela through gritted teeth. "I'm not sure how considering I'm running a little low on money. But I'll find a way." The boy looked her up and down and chewed on the inside of his mouth.

"Fine," he sighed. "We'll figure out the payment later. But, I'll do it". Daniela's eyes softened towards Lip as she gave him a grateful smile.

"Thank you." Lip nodded and looked back to where his hand was still wrapped around her wrist.

Letting it go, Daniela gave him one last smile before heading back over to the sofa.

Ian gave Daniela a knowing smirk, causing the girl to roll her eyes.

"See? All you gotta do is ask."

"Yeah, yeah."

/

Daniela had managed to pass out on the sofa with her legs spread out over both Carl and Ian's laps but she was startled awake by an angry voice yelling nearby.

Jolting up, she tiredly looked around to see Tire yelling at Lip about his SAT score.

"I won't be able to play ball in college!" Fumed Tire as he chased after Lip up the stairs. Daniela frowned at him. It wasn't Lip's fault that the jock wasn't smart enough to successfully take the SAT's himself.

Daniela was content to stay down in the lounge where it was safe, however the rest of the Gallaghers became alerted when they heard a big bang from upstairs. They all quickly rushed up with the girl following sluggishly behind.

The girl's eyes widened when she spotted Tire dangling Lip out of the window by his feet.

"Holy shit," she breathed, now fully awake. Ian rushed forward, trying to get the jock to pull his brother back in but backed off when Tire threatened to drop Lip.

"Let him go!" Roared Carl as he ran in, the baseball bat ready and waiting in his arms.

"Get my brother back or the kid swings the bat," warned Ian gesturing to Carl.

"Okay. Keep your shit straight, I'll pull him in."

Once Lip was safely inside the house again, Tire turned to Carl with both hands up. A genuine gasp fell from Daniela's lips as her hands flew up to her mouth when Carl swung the bat, hitting Tire's kneecap with a loud crack.

The room erupted into cheers as Carl was carried out on the shoulders of Steve and Lip.

With a smirk, Daniela noted that baseball would be a good option for the boy.

* * *

Hopefully, you enjoyed. Please let me know how this chapter was in a review!

 **REVIEW!**


	7. Frank Gallagher

**Chapter 7.**

Hey, guys! I'm so sorry for the late update, I've just been held up with school but I have a few weeks off now that I can dedicate to writing this story. Hope you enjoy and please don't forget to let me know if you do.

 _Special thanks to:_ scarlettsoilder, MademoiselleRiddle, melanie102000, ladyby16, landrycole, ChanelisEverything, jessofitz, Apotter118, soccergurl382 and blue Wren!

 **Disclaimer** : I don't anything to do with Shameless.

* * *

Daniela frowned down at the blocked toilet. The rim was almost overflowing with waste, nearly causing the girl to vomit right on top of it.

Disgusted, she closed the door quickly and wiped her hands on her jeans as if some of the murky water had hit her.

"Shitter's blocked up," stated Daniela casually when she saw that Ian and Lip had made their way down the stairs.

"Always so eloquent, Ella," scoffed Ian with a shake of the head to his friend who now looked thoughtful.

"Eloquent, Ella. Has a nice ring to it don't you think? Anyway, are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, Mandy said she'd meet us outside." Daniela silently nodded, not wanting to show her slight disappointment that Mandy would be walking with them to school.

She knew she shouldn't be jealous, Ian and her were friends now and Daniela had to try and be as civil and welcoming as possible.

Ian didn't seem to notice his friend's discomfort as they grabbed their bags and made their way down the porch steps.

Mandy was there, as expected, her hands shoved comfortably in the pockets of her coat. The girl's face lit up in a grin when she spotted Ian and she quickly moved forward to weave her arm through his.

"Morning," she greeted happily before glancing at Lip and Daniela. Lip gave her a short, curt nod with Daniela giving her a similar response.

Once the greetings were out of the way, the four teenagers made their way to school. Daniela walked in between Mandy and Lip, the latter pulling out a cigarette to puff on.

"I'm thinking we should start those tutoring sessions soon," mumbled Lip, not even looking at the girl beside him. "There's a test coming up soon that's worth a lot of your grade so you probably won't want to fail."

Daniela nodded her head in agreement.

"That would be good but I'm not going to lie. I'm pretty hopeless at Physics." Lip scoffed and pulled his cigarette into his fingers.

"I'm aware of how much you suck." The girl shot him a vicious glare even though she knew he was basically right.

"Yeah, but when I say hopeless, I mean _hopeless_. I barely even know the basics."

"Newton's Laws?"

"Uh, I know that one of them gets quoted a lot in movies," shrugged Daniela. The boy finally looked at her properly, looking personally insulted at her lack of knowledge of the science.

"Shit. Well, this should be interesting."

"Gotta love these half-days," piped up Ian from the end of their little line.

"Good thing public education is broke," smirked Mandy beside him.

"Yeah, waste of time anyway. The only thing those people are equipped to teach is how to live with crippling disappointment."

"There are a few exceptions," argued Daniela to Lip. "You, for example. I mean, you're smarter than any of these other assholes living here." She stopped in her tracks, frowning down at her feet.

"Wow, I'm sorry. That was way too nice. You're a prick- albeit an intelligent prick."

"That may be true, but that doesn't mean I'm going to do anything about it." Daniela frowned at Lip's answer, unsure of why someone with his smarts would limit himself to staying in Canaryville.

"Hey, you wanna catch a movie later?" Asked Mandy to Ian.

"Can't gotta be at work by 3."

"Nice jacket Kash bought you by the way," nodded Lip.

"Yeah! Tell Kash I'll take it in the ass if it gets me free stuff." The corners of Daniela's lips turned up as she recalled saying a very similar thing to Ian when she had seen the shoes their boss had bought him.

All four teenagers turned when they heard a man calling out to them. The girl raised an eyebrow at the clearly frustrated man before flicking her eyes to the truck parked up behind them.

Reading the sides of it, she realized with excitement that it was a meat truck. Her mouth practically watered at the thought of a huge steak.

"You got a phone?"

"What, you're truck break down?"

"No, genius, I like standing in a shitty neighborhood with my dick in my hands," grumbled the man making Daniela crinkle her nose.

"I usually don't like to judge people's fetishes but that's kind of weird, dude."

"Look, I'm already two hours late on this load. I try to take one shortcut and this is what I get. My goddamn kid drained my phone playing Doodle Jump, my goddamn wife took my charger!"

"Sounds like you're not having the greatest of days," joked Daniela lightly.

"I'll give you five bucks if you let me use your phone. Just one call," pleaded the man urgently.

"Oh we don't have a phone," claimed Lip. "Our dad says not till we're 18. But there's a bar, about 10 blocks that way. What's it called?"

"O'Flaherty's," supplied Daniela quickly, the name springing to her mind.

"Yeah, tell them your family's from County Cork."

Once the man headed off in search of a bar that didn't exist, Mandy pulled out her phone and handed it to Lip who then called Kev.

Ten minutes, later he showed up with his crowbar, Fiona, Steve and V. All eyes feasted upon the meat hanging from hooks in the truck. Daniela fished her phone out of her pocket and dialed her brother's number.

"Aren't you supposed to be at school right now?" Grumbled Jakob who she had clearly just woken up. Rolling her eyes, Daniela took one more look at the meat and grinned.

"In the mood for steak?"

/

"You sure you know how to use that thing?" Yelled Daniela, warily eyeing up Lip who was holding a chainsaw. The girl had her fingers plugged into her ears to drown the loud noise out as much as she could.

"Figured as long as I don't cut off a hand, I'll be good," wagered Lip, going to make his first cut into the meat. Daniela watched with a mix of fascination and fear as the boy clumsily cut up the meat before switching the chainsaw off.

Looking at his work, he tipped his head slightly. "Not bad."

Debbie and Daniela each grabbed some newspaper to begin wrapping the meat. The young red-headed girl pulled out a meat cleaver before hacking away to break the meat up even more. The older girl eyed her carefully before offering to take over.

Both girls looked up when they heard the back door open and saw Steve and an annoyed Fiona walk out.

"You guys think you can survive one night without Fiona?"

"No!" Cried Debbie. Daniela nudged her gently, reminding her of Steve's request from a few minutes ago. "Kidding!"

"Sure," shrugged Carl, not really caring.

"Yeah, have a great time," finished Lip, moving over to help his brother cut up wood.

"Debs, go pick up Liam from Sheila's," ordered Fiona before Steve quickly told her not to. The arguing couple headed back inside, leaving the rest of the kids outside to continue their jobs.

Daniela glanced over at Lip as he swung the axe over his head. Wrapping up another cut in newspaper, she tilted her head.

"Should we start tonight?" The boy looked over his shoulder for a second, shrugged and continued his cutting.

"Sure. You might need to help with the kids, though."

"We don't need a babysitter!" Argued Carl, cutting up a piece of wood beside him. Daniela took no offense and simply nodded her head.

"Sounds good."

/

Daniela stood over the stove in her kitchen, one hand propped up on her hip, the other holding the handle of the old fry pan. The sweet aroma of steak wafted out into the girl's nostrils, making her mouth water. She had already dished up a salad and set the table.

All that was left was for her brother to come home from work. It wasn't often that they did this kind of sit down dinners. Most of the time she was at work, or hanging out with Ian or he was also at work or passed out in bed.

However, the fresh meat she had happened to score that day made Daniela feel like she should make it special.

The sound of the door opening, along with the removal of heavy boots, alerted her that Jakob was home.

"Something smells damn good in here," praised the man as he finally stepped into the kitchen. His sister turned from her spot and flashed him a proud grin.

"It's steak." Jakob rubbed his palms together eagerly and took in his sister's hard work.

"This looks great, Dani." The girl gave him a small nod of thanks before taking the pan off the stove and moving over to dish up their plates.

"I made extra as well. Just in case. And there's way more where this came from."

"Speaking of," began Jakob, picking up a knife and cutting into his meat. "Where _did_ this come from?" Daniela shrugged nonchalantly as she sat down across from him.

"A nice man who just happened to get lost in our friendly neighborhood." The young man smirked and let out a deep chuckle, popping the piece of steak in his mouth.

"This is so good," moaned Jakob as he went in for another bite.

/

After dinner was finished and Jakob had helped her wash up, Daniela grabbed her books and headed back over to the Gallagher's. As soon as she stepped into the lounge, she froze.

"Um, is that a coffin?" Frank, who was currently watching as his children maneuvered furniture around, turned and nodded.

"Why yes, it is young, Daniela. As you can see, my children are helping me do what they've always wanted to: plan my funeral." The girl snorted a loud laugh and shook her head at the man.

"Who the hell did you piss off?" Lip spotted her and lifted his chin in greeting before she could get an answer.

"Hey, you ready?"

"Yeah, what about you? You seem a bit busy." Lip waved a hand in dismissal and headed into the kitchen.

"We were done anyway."

His own Physics book was already waiting on the table as Daniela pulled out her own and sat beside him.

/

"So what's up with the funeral arrangements?" Questioned Daniela after Lip finished explaining Newton's Third Law.

Early in, Lip realized that she wasn't exaggerating when she claimed to know barely anything about Physics and he knew that it was not going to be easy.

"Frank went bad on a deal with two guys. I don't really know the details, something to do with a car that went missing."

"I guess this is pretty exciting for you, pretending Frank is dead." Lip smirked slightly as he guided his pen over the words in the textbook.

"It's a bit of a dream come true actually." Daniela smiled slightly in amusement. She didn't blame him. The Lord knows, Frank Gallagher wasn't the best father to walk the Earth.

"You're invited, by the way, I figure you hate Frank almost as much as the rest of us do."

"Wouldn't miss it," smirked Daniela, staring back at Lip. Clearing his throat, Lip returned back to his teachings.

"Okay, so tell me again what Newton's Third Law is."

Daniela nodded and pushed the answer to the front of her mind. It was the easiest one to remember because she had always heard people use it in movies and television.

"For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction." The boy beside her nodded happily and flicked the page over.

/

Daniela moved seats out from the kitchen into the lounge room as the rest of the Gallaghers and Veronica, did the rest.

When she was done, she moved over to the coffin where Carl was setting up flowers. Lip walked past with a tray of food for later on and Veronica gave out orders on where to put stuff. Daniela turned when she heard Fiona and Steve walk in.

"What the hell?"

Debbie soon came down the stairs and explained the situation to her sister before heading over to where Daniela was.

"Hey, Debbie. Cute outfit," smiled the teen.

"Thanks. Have you heard from Ian?" Daniela frowned, realizing she hadn't properly talked to him since yesterday afternoon.

"Sorry, Debs. I haven't."

"Hello, family!" Beamed Frank as he walked down the stairs in a nice suit. "Beautiful day to die isn't it?"

Daniela snorted at the man as Veronica got to work on knocking him out. He was soon sat down before Carl started placing bags of ice into his suit to lower his body temperature.

"Your body needs to be cold," Fiona as she watched her father deny any more ice bags.

"More morphine," he whined, making everybody roll their eyes.

"It's horse tranquilizer."

"Get in the coffin before you pass out," ordered Lip in irritation.

"Just a little taste?"

"I don't even know why we do this for you."

"You think it's easy being a parent? Letting Fiona be the good cop? The important thing is you kids. Carl, I remember when the nurse in the hospital handed you to me."

"Carl was born in the back of the van. You weren't there," stated Lip, growing more agitated.

"I slapped his little ass myself!"

Whatever Frank was planning on saying next was quickly cut off by Lip socking him in the jaw and effectively knocking him out.

Ian chose that particular moment to walk in and stopped when he saw what was happening. Daniela's eyes, however, were glued onto his face. More specifically the cuts and bruises on his face.

"What the hell happened to you?" She asked, stepping forward to grab his shoulders. Her friend gave her a small smile, which confused her before shaking his head.

"Nothing."

"It doesn't look like nothing."

"I'll tell you later."

Ian headed up the stairs to change into a fresh shirt and got back down just as the two men looking for Frank, pulled up outside.

"They're here," announced Daniela, who had been watching out the window for any signs of them. She quickly moved over to Ian's side, weaving her arm through his in a sign of support.

When the two men walked in, they stopped to pick up a small funeral booklet that Daniela had suggested would be a nice touch. The girl stayed quiet as she watched the men question the family before one of them went as far as picking Frank up out of his coffin and shaking him. The other pulled out his phone and made a call.

Things suddenly got complicated when the men announced that they would leave once Frank was in the ground. After hastily switching Frank with the scraps of meat in the trash and burying that in the ground, they decided to move on to The Alibi for the reception.

/

Daniela sat, sipping a beer at the bar. She needed to talk to Ian, to find out what had happened to him.

Chewing on her lip nervously, her eyes continued to flick towards the door, waiting for her friend to walk in and explain himself. An inkling in her gut told her it had something to do with Kash.

Daniela perked up when she finally saw the familiar head of red hair walk through the door. It appeared she wasn't the only one worried because Lip also pulled him up on his bruises. Ian moved over to his friend who was waiting with a raised eyebrow.

"Spill." The boy sighed and leaned his elbows on top of the bar.

"Think I need a drink first."

"That can be arranged," smirked Daniela before calling over Kev.

Once there was a glass of beer in front of Ian, Daniela made a show of getting comfortable, signaling for him to start talking.

"Linda knows about me and Kash."

"Holy shit! I mean, I did tell you this would happen but, shit. How are you feeling?" Ian shrugged and took a long drink.

"Linda wants another baby. And until she's pregnant, nothing can happen between Kash and me." Daniela gave her friend a grimace and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"That's heavy. But don't worry, didn't you say so yourself that after that night in Kash's house, you've felt a little weird? Well, this could be a way for you to try your luck with another guy. Preferably one who isn't married or has kids."

Her friend let out a short laugh and nodded his head. "Thanks, Ella."

"Anytime."

* * *

This chapter's the shortest one so far, so apologies for that. I just really wanted to get something out.

Let me know what you think so far.

 **REVIEW!**


	8. Killing The Turtle

**Chapter 8.**

I hope you are all still enjoying this!

 _Special thanks to_ : gelpenVEVO, Spencee98, Guest, ItsMalecNotLeviosA, lepsins, mrsbeaumont, StudyInBlack, alleycat023, jaeldaiker and HellaGayWriter.

 **Disclaimer** : I don't own Shameless.

* * *

"I was like, _Girl you are not using my eyeliner if you have pink eye_! And she was all like, _Well then, you're not my friend anymore._ "

The corners of Daniela's mouth tilted upwards at Mandy's recounting of her argument with a friend. The whole thing had amused her as she listened intently to the girl walking beside her.

Ian, on the other hand, seemed to be lost in his own world- something Daniela had curiously picked up on. She shared a quick look with Mandy before they both turned to him.

"Hm?" Frowned Ian, glancing between the two of them.

"You're not listening are you?" Mandy gave the boy a playful shove, causing a small grin to grow on his face. Daniela shoved her hands into the depths of her pockets and rocked back and forth on the heels of her feet.

"Penny for your thoughts," she said, fixing him with a curious look.

"I slept with someone- not Kash," shrugged Ian as his friend's eyes grew wide.

"Woah! When did this happen?" Asked Daniela.

"Um, about two weeks ago."

Mandy threw her hands up in excitement. "Well detes, please. Who?"

"I can't say," admitted Ian making Mandy pout and Daniela roll her eyes. She wasn't going to lie. She was a little hurt that he hadn't told her yet. "He's on the down low."

Daniela could see that Mandy too was a little put out by Ian's lack of information and the two girls started walking ahead of their friend a little more. Ian, sensing that they weren't entirely happy, hiked the strap of his bag up higher and followed behind silently.

/

Daniela couldn't help but feel the heavy awkwardness that filled the store.

She was basically third-wheeling her boss and best friend and the tension from Linda finding out was getting too obvious to ignore. Daniela had been somewhat anxious herself coming into work the next day. She wasn't sure if Linda would have anything to say to her about the situation.

When she had walked into the store, Linda and Kash were having another argument- most likely about Ian. The woman gave her a knowing look before heading out to the back. Linda hadn't brought it back up since, possibly too embarrassed to.

Daniela casually sat on a stool, manning the cash register while Ian and Kash filled the fridges with drinks.

Grimacing when she saw Kash start up a conversation, Daniela stood to grab a doughnut out of one of the display cases.

Moving back, she leant on the counter and continued to watch her friend whilst taking a bite of her stale doughnut. The girl was still a little more than put out from learning that Ian had slept with someone who wasn't their boss without telling her.

They had been friends for years now and always told each other everything. Daniela couldn't deny the certain sting to her emotions and had taken to childishly giving Ian the silent treatment.

Finishing up her doughnut, she looked at the clock behind her to see that her shift was over and that she had to go meet Lip for their lesson. The Gallagher had been a godsend to her grades, even in such a short amount of time- but you wouldn't hear her tell him that.

Licking the residual icing off of her fingers, Daniela pushed herself off the stool with a sigh. Kash also seemed to be on his way out, claiming that Linda was fertile at the moment. The girl closed her eyes in silent disgust as she pulled her jacket on.

Ian came around to the counter and watched as his friend looked at anything but him. Heaving a sigh, the boy shook his head and moved closer to the counter.

"I'm sorry. I know you're pissed that I didn't tell you. But this guy doesn't want anyone to know." Daniela looked down at her feet, kicking herself for being so childish and selfish.

"You shouldn't have to apologise. It's none of my business and I shouldn't feel like you need to tell me." The girl felt a pair of arms wrap around her in a hug.

"No, you're my best friend, Ella. I tell you everything and I was going to tell you the day that it happened but I got worried." Daniela looked up at him with a frown.

"Were you afraid I would judge you or something? Ian, I would never do that. In fact, I would've been happy that you finally had sex with someone who A) Isn't our boss and B) Isn't married with kids." The girl paused for a moment and fixed him with a curious look. "Wait, he isn't married is he?"

Ian let out a laugh and shook his head.

"No, he's not married." Daniela nodded happily before turning to pick her bag up from the floor.

"Well, whoever he is, I'm sure he's fine. I mean, how bad could he be?"

As she made her way towards the door, her smile turned into a sneer at the sight of Mickey strutting in. Unknowingly, her best friend stood behind her, glancing between the two nervously.

Mickey seemed as unimpressed as she was to see her and returned her look, wiping a grubby hand over his nose. Daniela turned her nose up at him and headed out the door, sending one last glare at him.

"Kaufman."

"Milkovich."

/

Daniela rocked up to the Gallagher house at the same time as a frustrated Fiona and Liam. The woman gave her a strained smile as Daniela rubbed a gloved finger over Liam's cheek.

"Rough day, Fiona?"

"Yeah. Assholes at the place I did a job last week handed in the time cards late so I don't get paid till Friday."

"Well, that's shit. Anything I could help with?" Daniela knew Fiona would flat out refuse any help but she still felt the need to put it out there even though she too, didn't enjoy charity.

"There's no need, Ella but thanks anyway."

The girl shrugged at her with a smile, following her up the stairs and opening the door. Her eyebrows hiked up at the sight of Lip and Karen naked on the couch ready to have sex.

"Lovely," sneered Daniela, tilting her head. The two teens jumped from their spots and quickly moved to grab their clothing.

"You have a bedroom, Lip," huffed Fiona, moving into the kitchen.

"Yeah, says the girl who had sex on the stairs last night."

"Hallway!"

"I stand corrected," smirked Lip as he sat up to pull a shirt on.

Daniela, who had also walked into the kitchen gave Fiona a thoughtful look.

"Would that hurt, having sex on the stairs?" The older woman turned and laughed at her with a grin.

"Probably. The wood poking into your spine."

"Yeah, it wouldn't be the only wood poking you." Both girls erupted into laughter as Fiona placed Liam into his highchair.

"Kev and V are on their way over with meat sauce," informed Fiona to Lip.

"Is that a euphemism?" Questioned Lip.

"I bought _pasta_. They're bringing their foster kid over to play with Debs."

Daniela helped herself to some coffee when Carl busted through the back door with a bandage plastered over his eye.

"Paintball rocks! Best day of my life!"

"Nice," smirked Daniela, sticking her hand out for a high-five and moving over to get a better look.

"Did you wear a face guard?" Asked Lip.

"Nope!"

Carl's departure up the stairs soon turned to Kev and Veronica walking in with their new foster kid following silently behind. Daniela moved to sit in an armchair, her hands grasping the sides of her mug for warmth.

"Hey, I want you guys to meet our new daughter," grinned Kev, obviously excited to be a parent. Veronica on the other hand, less so.

" _Foster_ daughter."

Daniela couldn't help her slightly shocked impression at the sight of the small girl who so clearly didn't fit in around here. Or anywhere with a sane dress code. She laughed slightly as Karen's introduction was met with the girl curtsying.

"Yeah and I'm Daniela. I live down the road." Once again, the girl curtsied, making Daniela slightly uncomfortable.

The door opened again, this time with Frank and Debbie rushing in on a sugar buzz. Debbie began jumping up and down on the couch, leaving the rest of them to stare in wonder.

"Debbie what's going on?" Asked Fiona, coming out from the kitchen.

"We got high on sugar because Daddy quit drinking."

"Whose Daddy?"

"Me Daddy!" Cried Frank as he opened a packet of sherbet. Daniela stared at him with disbelief. There was no way, Frank Gallagher would drop the alcohol.

"Oh shit," mumbled Lip from in front of her. "He's done this once before."

"We gotta help Daddy stay off of drinking so that he can get $3000." Daniela scoffed from her armchair, finally realising why the drunk was giving up his favourite hobby.

/

"So..." began Daniela who was still sat in her chair. "I'm guessing tutoring isn't happening tonight?"

Lip had been too occupied glaring at his family beside Karen and was clearly not in the mood for it. He turned and finally gave her a once over as if realising the reason she was there in the first place.

"Sorry, not tonight." The girl shrugged nonchalantly, not really minding. She had a growing headache that seemed to be getting worse from the loudness of the people running around the house.

"Lip tutors you?" Piped up Karen, who was now leaning forward, giving the other girl an inquisitive look. Daniela managed to pick up on the slight change in her voice, noting it as slight possessiveness.

"Yeah. Physics," answered Daniela staring back at her casually.

Karen nodded and moved her hand to Lip's thigh, rubbing it up and down as if marking her territory. The sight of it almost made Daniela smirk. Lip seemed to be completely lost but enjoyed the girl caressing him.

"Well, Lip here is a great tutor." To further prove her point, the blonde grabbed his face gently to plant a kiss on him. Daniela tilted her head, an unimpressed eyebrow lifted.

The fact that Karen thought something was going on between the two of them was almost comical. While she couldn't deny the fact that he was indeed a great tutor, she didn't like him at all.

Things between them were business-like and professional. She would come around, get tutored, learn some new things and then get a slightly higher grade on that week's test. Other than that, the two teens barely interacted.

"Don't tell him that. Wouldn't want his ego getting any bigger." At her words, Lip shot her a glare making her smirk.

"Don't worry, Karen. He's not my type," assured Daniela with a wink as she got up from her chair. Fixing the two with a light smirk, she waved a hand. "Night night."

/

Daniela had her mind completely set on sleeping in the next day but those dreams were shattered with the chiming of her phone. Clumsily reaching out, she grabbed the old piece of shit and answered, not bothering to check who it was.

"Hello?"

"Daniela!" Greeted a warm voice. Now alert, the girl sat up and began wiping the gunk out of her eyes.

"Simon, hey. What's up?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to go bowling today. My cousin works down there and would be able to get us in for free."

"Sure, that sounds great. Fair warning, I'm pretty amazing at bowling so be prepared to get your ass whooped." Simon's deep chuckled sounded out over the phone making the girl smile.

"Can't wait. Meet you there in an hour?"

"Yeah, perfect." Simon hung up shortly after that, leaving Daniela to quickly get ready.

Heading down the stairs half an hour later, she found Jakob drinking coffee and reading the paper in the kitchen.

"Can you drop me off at the bowling alley?"

"Oh, good morning Jakob. How was your sleep last night? Anything good in the paper?" Daniela rolled her eyes at her brother's sarcasm and picked up his coffee to take a drink.

"Good morning. There, better?"

"Much," answered Jakob with a wide grin. He quickly grabbed his mug back to down the rest.

"So could you please drop me off at the bowling alley?"

"Sure thing, kiddo. You going with Ian?"

"No. Simon." Jakob paused from his spot at the sink and turned to stare at his sister with narrowed eyes.

"Simon, huh? This a date?"

"I don't know," shrugged Daniela. "I guess." She watched as her brother wrinkled his nose a little before nodding.

"Well, if things escalate afterwards, don't forget to use protection."

"Oh my gosh!" Cried the girl in embarrassment. She threw her hands up and stormed out of the kitchen to wait for her brother, his loud chuckles sounding out from behind her.

/

"Turkey!"

Simon let out a low whistle from behind her, watching as the pins began to be re-set. Daniela turned to give him a grin and strutted over proudly.

"Told you I was good."

"You did. Although I didn't think you were this good." The girl chuckled as she sat down beside him on the seat to plant a quick kiss on his lips.

"You shouldn't doubt me."

"I'll make sure to never do it again," smirked Simon, going in for another kiss. Daniela pulled back and nudged him gently.

"Your turn."

"I'm not sure how I'm supposed to follow that up," admitted the boy.

"Neither am I, but you can always try," encouraged Daniela with a cocky look. She cheered when he also managed to knock all ten pins down. "Not bad." Simon held his hands up casually.

"I try, I try." The girl laughed, shaking her head at him. "How about I go get us something to eat?"

"Mm, sounds good." Daniela watched him walk away, a smile on her face before she turned her head to look at the other bowlers. Her eyes caught onto the Gallaghers who were also there along with Kev, Veronica and their foster daughter.

Debbie seemed to spot her and quickly waved her over.

"Hey, Debs. Carl," she smiled at each of the kids, taking a seat beside Debbie. The two of them seemed to have been in a serious conversation with Lip.

"I understand, Lip," nodded the young girl. "Frank's not going to be like this forever. But I'd like to enjoy it while it lasts if that's okay?"

"Yeah, sure Debs." With a nod, Debbie got up to take her shot, leaving Daniela with Lip. She gave him a curious look before glancing over at Frank.

"Why are you so against Frank being sober? I mean, I know he's only doing it to get some money, but why aren't you enjoying it like Debbie is?" Lip gave her a dark look and shook his head.

"Why do you care?"

"Well, it's not so much _caring_. More curiosity," shrugged Daniela.

"I didn't realise we were sharing our emotions with each other," huffed Lip sarcastically, causing the girl to roll her eyes. "What's next? Are we gonna paint our nails and gossip about cute boys?"

"Fine then. Be an asshole. I just thought I would be nice and give you someone to vent to." Daniela flicked her eyes around to see if Simon had returned yet but he was still waiting for their food.

Catching her eye, he sent her a grin and wave.

"You two together?" Asked Lip, drawing her attention back to him.

"Why do you care?" Daniela grinned at using his own words against him.

"Not so much caring. More curiosity," smirked Lip making Daniela laugh quietly.

"Touché. And undecided at the moment. It's more of a casual thing. Like you and Karen, minus the sex." Lip scoffed back a laugh of his own and raised an eyebrow.

"Where's the fun in that?"

"Honestly is sex _all_ you think about?"

"Pretty much, yeah." Daniela rolled her eyes at his blunt response.

"Well sometimes, it's nice to have someone to hang around with. Someone you can just talk to about whatever. Someone to do couple things with without having to worry about the actual dating. Don't get me wrong, dating would be nice but right now I'm more interested in something casual."

"Simon knows that, and he feels the same way. And sure, you could do the same thing with a friend, but there's a certain level of intimacy that makes it a little more different," explained Daniela, her eyes locked onto Lip's, the boy giving her a nod and a once-over.

Breaking the eye contact, Daniela looked around to see that Simon was making his way back with their food. Slapping her hands on her thighs, she pushed herself up and turned to Lip.

"Anyways, I better be getting back."

Simon smiled at her when she got arrived at their lane, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"Ready for another game?" Daniela nodded, grabbing a fry from the paper plate.

"Bring it."

/

Two days later, Daniela stepped out onto her front porch and smirked at what she saw. Squatting down, she gave the drunk a slight shove, making him groan and roll over.

"Good to have you back, Frank," chirped Daniela, giving the man a pat on the back before heading off to meet up with Ian.

* * *

Thanks for reading and please don't forget to review! I've loved hearing your thoughts so far.

 **REVIEW!**


	9. But At Last Came A Knock

**Chapter 9.**

A fairly long chapter, I hope you enjoy!

 _Special thanks to_ : blue Wren, spencee98, ItsMalecNotLeviosA, Clara, BlackAngelic, MissingIdeas, MysticDBRose17, elijahsgirl96 and megst11.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Shameless.

* * *

"Okay, so explain it to me one more time."

Lip sighed at the girl sitting next to him, going over the topic for the fourth time. Admittedly, it wasn't completely her fault. Liam was sick with a fever causing him to not stop crying and being temperamental, making things hard for him to properly conduct his tutoring session.

As he went in to begin re-explaining the theorem, a sharp cry sounded out from Liam's crib upstairs. With a sigh and a quick apology, Lip got up to get him.

Coming back down the stairs, Liam was still upset. Tears ran down his chubby cheeks as snot dribbled down from his nose. Daniela, realising Lip's silent frustration, stood up and made her way over.

"Here," she said opening her arms. The boy gave her a look before nodding and handing him over. Daniela bounced Liam around in her arms gently, making small cooing noises. "What's wrong little man?"

Liam's cries settled down almost instantly, as he opted for playing with a strand of Daniela's hair instead. As he went to put the hair in his mouth, Daniela grimaced at the sight of all the drying tears and snot on his face.

Moving back over to the kitchen table, she took a seat and grabbed a napkin, using it to wipe his face clean. Satisfied with her work, she picked up a chunk of hair and held it out to Liam who took it contently.

With a smile, she looked back up at Lip who was still stood by the stairs staring at her, slightly impressed and thankful. With a nod of his head, he also took his seat once more and continued watching her blow raspberries on Liam's cheeks.

"You're good at that."

"Thanks. I remember babysitting Liam a few times. He always liked playing with my hair. Didn't you?" Daniela aimed her question at the young boy now squirming in laughter from her tickling his belly.

Lip observed her interactions with Liam, feeling something close to an attraction at how easily she handled Liam. Or maybe he was just confusing attraction with gratefulness that Liam had finally stopped his crying.

He had always found her attractive, he wasn't going to lie. But they hadn't exactly gotten off to a great start. Admittedly, Daniela wasn't as bad as he originally thought she was. Absently, Lip made a mental note about how nice her smile looked.

Daniela looked up from Liam to see Lip's eyes trained on her in thought. Raising an eyebrow, she moved her Physics textbook around so both of them could read it.

"So explain it again."

/

The next morning, Daniela was eating breakfast when a knock came at the door. Opening it, she frowned down at the young girl standing there.

"Debbie? What are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to you," stated Debbie, breezing past Daniela inside the house. She looked around, taking in the basic surroundings.

"Well okay. You want a hot chocolate or something?" Debbie nodded and followed the older girl into the kitchen, taking a seat at the table. "So what's this all about?" Questioned the teen, making the hot drink and setting it down on the table in front of Debbie.

"I think Steve is cheating on Fiona."

"Wait, Debbie. What makes you think that?"

"Well, a while ago, I checked his phone, which I know I shouldn't do, and saw that someone named Candice had messaged him. And then the other night I got Veronica to help me follow him to a house on the other side of the city."

Daniela blinked, taking in all of the information. "You stalked him?"

Debbie nodded and sipped at her drink, enjoying the sweet warmth.

"Well have you told Fiona?"

"Mm-hm, and she asked Steve who said that Candice was just some lady he worked with."

"Maybe she is," considered Daniela, unsure of what to think.

"Look, I need your help. I want to go back to the house and question Candace. I was going to ask Veronica, but Ethel's baby is visiting today."

"Ethel has a baby?"

"Ella, please," begged Debbie. "I need to know the truth. For Fiona."

Daniela sat contemplating for a moment, staring at Debbie. She knew why the little girl was so desperate to know the facts. She would do the same if she thought someone her brother was dating was lying to him too.

With a sigh and a nod, Daniela relented. "Sure thing, Debs."

The young girl's face lit up in excitement. Sculling back the rest of her drink, Debbie wiped the residue off the top of her lip and picked up her green carrier bag.

"First stop. The library."

/

"What exactly are we looking for here?" Questioned Daniela as she flicked through the books on the shelves. Debbie was standing a few cases down from her doing the same thing, a look of focus and determination on her face.

"Books that have to do with confrontation. We need to handle this properly." As if to prove her point, the young girl pulled out a book and showed the cover to the teen.

" _Crucial Confrontations_?" Debbie nodded before turning away and heading towards the borrowing station. The shy boy behind the counter seemed to perk up when Debbie placed her books on the counter.

"Haven't seen you here in awhile," smiled the boy. Daniela stood to the side, smirking knowingly.

"Been kind of busy, Simon," sighed Debbie.

Debbie and the boy, Simon continued their conversation until the young girl realised she could get him to help them.

"Do you think you could help me on the computers? I need to dig up some dirt."

Simon was more than happy to help, something Daniela slyly mentioned to Debbie on their way over to the computers.

"I think he has a crush on you."

"Who, Simon? Ugh, I don't have time for boys," grimaced Debbie making the older girl laugh.

/

Daniela and Debbie hopped off of the bus, saying their thanks to the driver. Instantly, they were hit with the sharpness of the cold.

"Is it just me or is it even colder this side of the city?" Observed Daniela, rubbing her gloved hands together. Debbie seemed to agree, feeling her teeth start to chatter. The older girl realised this and wrap her arm around her for extra warmth as they continued on to Candace's house.

"Holy shit," breathed Daniela as she took in the house. It was huge and beautiful. Casting a look down at a silent Debbie, she gestured to the gates. "This is her house?"

The two opened the gate and headed up the steps to the front door. Taking a deep breath, Debbie pulled back the knocker before hitting it twice. The door quickly opened to reveal an ageing woman.

"Are you screwing my sister's boyfriend?" Demanded Debbie as soon as she saw her.

"Subtle," nudged Daniela.

The woman didn't seem at all offended but rather amused by the girl's blunt question.

"If you're selling cookies, that's a hell of an opening line." Not wasting any time, Debbie walked straight in much like she had done that morning at Daniela's house.

"Do come in," said the woman with a raised eyebrow. She looked back to see Daniela still standing on the doorstep. With a sheepish look, the girl headed in as well.

As they stepped into the room adjacent, Daniela was shocked at all the art on the walls.

"Woah," she mumbled, marvelling at all of the work displayed on the walls.

"Ah, a fellow artist I presume?" Daniela snapped out of her wonder and turned to Candace who was lighting a joint. The woman took an inhale before resting it in between her fingers and gesturing to the paintings.

"I'm one myself, though retired. I studied in Paris. Some of the best years of my life, though my husband never did appreciate it quite like me."

"They're beautiful," complimented Daniela. Candace smiled at the paintings wistfully.

"They are, aren't they? Can I get you girls anything? Milk, soda?" Both girls denied quickly, Debbie continuing her confrontation while Daniela perused the art in the room.

The teen froze slightly when she heard the voice of Fiona's boyfriend flow into the room.

Steve didn't seem to notice the girls as he greeted his mother with a long kiss on the lips- something that caused Daniela to grimace in disgust. She shared a look with Debbie who had the same expression on her face.

"Oh, uh this is..." began Candice gesturing between both girls. Steve came to a halt at the sight of them in his mother's house.

"Debbie. Gallagher."

"Daniela," added the teen from her spot against a wall. Steve's eyes flickered between the two of them, realising that he had been caught.

"Jimmy is my youngest," said Candace as she placed her medicinal joint between her lips again. "Top of his class at Michigan in high school."

"Really?" Asked Daniela with a raised eyebrow, crossing her arms. Steve- or Jimmy- squatted down to Debbie and stared, speechless. Daniela felt pissed off at the man and could only imagine the hurt and betrayal the young Gallagher was feeling. Or how Fiona would feel when she eventually found out.

Fed up of listening to Candace talk about her son, Daniela moved over to Debbie and tapped her shoulders. Debbie stood up quickly and headed towards the door, the older girl's hands planted on her shoulders in comfort.

As soon as the door closed, Debbie began to sniffle.

"Oh, Debs," sighed Daniela pulling her in for a hug. The young girl clung to her.

"I was hoping I was wrong. That he wasn't a total liar," mumbled Debbie into her shoulder. Daniela rubbed her back gently and kissed the side of her head.

"Come on, let's go find a café nearby. I'll buy you a hot drink before we go home."

/

"I think the popcorn's burning!" Shouted Daniela, sniffing the air.

"Oh fuck," swore Fiona as she hurried over to the microwave. Sure enough, when she opened the microwave door a waft of smoke came out. The woman quickly took it out and tipped it into a bowl.

Daniela, who was grabbing drinks out of the fridge, glanced at the popcorn and shrugged.

"Slap some melted butter on there and it'll be fine."

Scooping all the drinks into her arms, Daniela carried them into the lounge and set them down on the coffee table. Ian, Lip and Veronica were all in there already, throwing things at each other.

"Hell hath no fury like popcorn burned!" Proclaimed Fiona, setting the bowl down beside the drinks.

"Is Steve coming?" Questioned Veronica, grabbing Daniela's attention. She listened silently to their conversation before turning her attention to Ethel and her son Jonah. The teen grabbed a beer and sat down beside her.

"He's adorable." Ethel looked up at her with a smile and then back down at her baby.

"He is, isn't he. Do you have any children of your own?" Daniela, who was drinking at that moment, spat her beer out. Realising what she had done, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

"No, not yet."

"That's a shame. Motherhood is a wonderful thing and right now you're at the ideal breeding age," informed Ethel casually. Daniela blinked, feeling a little more than uncomfortable. Nodding she took another sip of her beer.

"I'll keep that in mind."

Lip and Ian each took their own beer and sat down.

"Hurry up, I have to be at work soon," urged Ian, taking a seat on the ground in front of Daniela's legs. The girl nudged him, allowing him to move so that he was resting against them with his own spread out in front of him on the floor.

"Hey, stranger," greeted Fiona. Daniela turned to see that Steve had finally shown up. After dropping a kiss on Fiona's lips, the man looked up and spotted Daniela. The girl gave him a look before turning back to the television.

"Get a room," said Carl in disgust.

"You get your tickets?" Asked Steve to Lip who responded by holding them up. "Glad I could help."

Steve wedged in between Veronica and Daniela, giving a nod of greeting at the girl who simply narrowed her eyes at him.

Leaning over, he whispered to her. "Thanks for not saying anything."

"I didn't do it for you."

"Still, I'm grateful. If there's anything you need. Just let me know." Daniela stared at Steve before nodding and turning her attention back to the screen. The man settled into his seat beside her, thankful that he had handled everything.

Daniela felt a pair of eyes on her and turned to see that Lip was observing the two of them curiously.

The sound of the door opening grabbed everyone's attention as they turned to see Debbie standing there. Daniela noticed the girl's shocked expression and stood up. Moving over, she placed a hand on the girl's shoulder.

"Debs, what's wrong?" The girl said nothing, looking like she was shaking.

"Honey, what happened?" Asked Fiona worriedly.

"Dad have one too many again?" Piped up Lip.

"You just gotta ignore him when he's like that Debs," soothed Ian.

"Why do you always blame dad first?"

"Who else is there?"

"She's over at Sheila's," mumbled Debbie.

Daniela frowned, "Who's over at Sheila's?"

"Monica."

Instantly everything went quiet, the only noise being the television and Liam's babbling. Daniela looked over at Ian who had his head down and his jaw clenched. She had never had the displeasure of meeting Monica. The girl had only become friends with Ian about a month after the woman had left, but she had heard plenty.

"Who the hell is Monica?" Questioned Steve in curiosity.

"Our mother," answered a shocked Lip.

Daniela moved over to Ian to lay an arm on his shoulder. Fiona stood from her seat to speak to Debbie when the girl let out a burst of frustration.

"What do you care? You'll be living with Steve in the house he bought next door!" Everyone turned to look out the man who let out a defeated 'surprise'. Ian placed his drink down and stood up, heading towards the door.

"I'm going to work."

"Ian wait!" Daniela moved to go after him but stopped when a hand wrapped around her wrist softly. She turned to frown at Lip, who simply shook his head.

Sighing, she took the seat beside him and rested her elbows on her knees. No-one knew what to say. No-one _wanted_ to say anything. The news that Monica was back had stunned everyone into silence.

/

Daniela truly didn't know why she had decided to go along with them. She walked beside Veronica who had come along to see what was going to happen. Admittedly, Daniela had done the same. But she had also gone to support the Gallaghers.

Over the past two years, she had grown to care for the family and knew that Monica returning would cause more than a little drama. Ian had told her stories about his mother. It was one of the first times he had opened up to her that caused their friendship to blossom. The tragic tales of Monica and her leaving her family had caused Daniela to have an instant dislike for the woman.

Lip was walking slightly ahead of her and the girl found she couldn't help sneaking glances at him. She had never seen him like this before and for some reason, it worried her. Despite trying her hardest, the Gallagher had grown on her during their tutoring sessions to the point where she would almost consider being his friend. Almost.

Daniela felt a slight squeeze on her hand and looked down at Debbie. The young girl was still shaken up about the whole ordeal so Daniela sent her a reassuring smile and squeezed her hand back.

Feeling another arm snake hesitantly around her on the opposite side, Daniela looked down to see that it was Carl. The young boy stared straight ahead, not looking at Daniela. Her heart clenched for the two children as they finally arrived outside Sheila's.

Fiona, who had been pushing Liam, turned and looked at her family. With a sigh and a nod, she got Veronica to help her pull the stroller up the stairs. Lip opened the door for them and held it open. As soon as they entered, they heard the voices of Frank and who Daniela guessed was Monica.

Sheila spotted them before addressing another woman in the room.

"Perhaps we should make our exit and leave Monica for her apologies."

"Apologies? For walking out on this piece of shit?"

"No. For walking out on them."

Daniela stood back with Veronica as the Gallagher children moved forward so their mother could see them.

"Oh my God," cried Monica, her voice cracking. Veronica stuck her head out from the wall.

"It's alright. I'm not one of yours. Just came to rubberneck."

Daniela stuck her head out too. "Neither am I."

Sheila reappeared, trying her best to make everyone feel as comfortable as possible.

"Would you like something to drink, Daniela?" She asked as she handed Lip a beer.

"No thank you, Sheila." The woman nodded before heading back up the stairs.

"I missed you so much," admitted Monica to Debbie and Carl.

"Why didn't you take us with you?"

"Because I knew you'd be fine with Fiona."

Lip, who had been silent the entire time, suddenly stood up and walked outside. Monica stared after him with a sad cry.

Feeling more than a little awkward and wanting to check on Lip for some reason, Daniela got up and followed him.

Stepping outside, she found him sitting on the steps lighting a cigarette. With slight hesitation, Daniela sat down beside him. She stared out across the street, looking at the snow piled on the grass and listened to the sound of the train going past.

"Never thought I'd say this but suddenly Frank doesn't seem so bad," mumbled Daniela. Lip snorted before taking a deep inhale of his cigarette. He looked down at it, fumbling it between his fingers and flicking the ash away.

"I remember the day she left," began Lip lowly. Daniela turned to look at him intently. She was a bit surprised that he was choosing to confide in her.

"Liam was two months old, Fiona had dropped out of school to take care of us because Frank and Monica were never around. We all knew they had problems. I mean, it was fucking obvious. And sure Monica was never around anyway but we- _I_ \- never thought she would just leave her kids. I mean, she couldn't be _that_ fucked up could she?"

"So one day, I come home from school, and she's nowhere to be seen. Which isn't completely new. But I could tell something about this was different. So I went into her room and all of her stuff was gone. I thought ' _hey, maybe she'll be back in a few days. Her and Frank probably had a fight_.' And for some reason, I believed that she was coming back."

"But she never did. And I realised how fucking idiotic I was believing that Monica would even _think_ \- for _one_ second- about her kids when she had never bothered to at all."

"It must have hurt, when you realised she wasn't coming back," replied Daniela quietly. Her hazel eyes connected with his blue ones. Clenching his jaw, Lip shook his head and looked away.

"No. I wasn't hurt. I was _pissed_ ," spat Lip. "So _fucking_ pissed. At Monica, at Frank- even at Fiona for trying to keep us all together!" The boy glanced back at Daniela who was still watching him with a look close to worry. He looked down at his clenched fists. "I think that's why I hated you so much when you showed up."

The girl beside him frowned.

"Because of Monica?" Lip shook his head and took another puff of his cigarette.

"Ian and Monica were close- really close. He was her favourite. And when she left he was the one affected the most by it. Then suddenly you show up, and slowly he starts getting better. And I was worried because I didn't know how long you were going to last. If you were going to take off like Monica did."

"And then you started coming over more and Debbie and Carl took to you right away. And you were always trying to help us- like we were some sort of broken toy you could fix. I thought you would see how fucked up our family was and run away screaming."

"But I didn't," reminded Daniela softly. "I stayed. Because I don't care how fucked up this family is. Because I care about all of you so of course, I'm going to want to help, and whether you like it or not- I'm not going anywhere."

Lip stared at her with something new, something she had never really seen before in his eyes. He looked at her hard as if to make sure she was telling the truth; that she wouldn't leave them like his mother. Daniela didn't back down or look away, staring right back. The Gallaghers were family, and she didn't leave her family.

Suddenly, an image of her father popped into her mind and Daniela thought of how he had left his family behind too. Except- unlike Monica- he had left protecting them.

Daniela frowned as she thought of her father, in prison, serving time for protecting his family. She realised in that moment that perhaps she had been too hard on him for going away and the arrival of Monica made her question her feelings of hatred for her him.

Lip, who had now pulled out a fresh cigarette, gave Daniela a thoughtful once-over before nodding.

"I suppose you aren't going anywhere. I'm sorry for being a dick to you and for calling you an Ice Queen, and a bitch, and frigid."

"Yeah, I got it," deadpanned Daniela, shaking her head. "I'm sorry too. For calling you an asshole, and a man-whore and a cun-"

"Got it," mimicked Lip, a smirk tugging at his mouth.

The two of them continued to sit there, in the freezing cold, in what seemed to be for the first time, a comfortable silence. Something had changed between the pair and they both noticed it. Gone was the animosity between the two.

Instead, there was something new.

Grinning cheekily, Daniela nudged her shoulder against his gently.

"Does this make us friends now?" She asked sweetly, batting her lashes. Gasping, she placed her hands on top of his in fake excitement. "Oh, are we finally gonna paint each other's nails and gossip about cute boys?"

The boy huffed out a laugh and even showed a small smile.

"Oh totally. I was thinking a nice lilac color or maybe a sexy red."

Daniela laughed her first genuine laugh around Lip, making his grin widen slightly.

"I agree. I have this one color that'll really make your eyes pop."

"Oh, do tell me more."

/

Ian found them still chatting and smoking on the steps five minutes later. What really confused him the most was that they were acting- dare he say- civil, watching as his friend laughed at something his brother said.

Daniela looked away from Lip to stare at her best friend, his expression filling with worry at his dejected posture. His brother did the same.

"Ian, what happened?" The ginger said nothing and just moved to sit next to them on the steps, making it a tight squeeze.

"I thought you had work?" Said Lip.

"There was a shooting."

"Wait, what?" Panicked Daniela, grabbing her friends shoulders so she could turn him around to get a better look. "Are you hurt?"

"No," waved off Ian. "It was Mickey and Kash."

"Holy shit, Mickey shot Kash?" Asked Lip.

"Kash shot Mickey."

"What?" Echoed Lip and Daniela at the same time. Though in different tones. Lip seemed genuinely shocked, whilst Daniela was more humoured.

"I mean, I've had my doubts about Kash but now I kind of like the guy," joked the girl. However, Ian didn't seem as happy about it, frowning and shaking his head at his friend. Daniela was suddenly curious as to why Ian seemed so concerned for Mickey considering he tried to kill him.

"It was in the leg. He's fine. Just wanted to get out of there before the cops showed up."

"Huh," nodded Lip in understanding.

"What did I miss with Mom?"

"Well, you know how Dad's a total fucking asshole? Turns out he's the good one." Lip finished his cigarette and stubbed it out. Rubbing his hands together, he looked to his brother and Daniela.

"I guess we should head back in." Ian nodded and stood up. Lip glanced at Daniela and gestured with his head towards the door. "You comin'?"

"No no. I should head home. Besides, you guys have a lot to get off of your chest." Lip nodded in understanding. Both were unaware of Ian standing behind them waiting and observing them curiously.

Daniela absently gave Lip's arm a reassuring squeeze before standing up and hugging Ian. With a wave to both of them, she said goodnight and made her way home, leaving the two brothers alone.

Lip looked up at Ian who looked between him and the direction of his best friend.

"Did I miss something?"

* * *

Yaaay! They don't hate each other anymore!

Please let me know what you thought with a review! I've been loving all of them.

 **REVIEW!**


	10. Nana Gallagher Had An Affair

**Chapter 10.**

I love giving you these long chapters. Please don't forget to review!

 _Special thanks to_ : vampire dutchess23, bookworm12091, HuntressForTheWolves, LikaBerbie, blueWren, Spencee98 and ItsMalecNotLeviosA

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shameless.

* * *

Daniela breezed into the Gallagher's kitchen, a bright smile on her face and a container in her hands. When she entered she saw Ian slumped against the wall on a stool.

"Morning folks!" Chimed Daniela, moving over to drop a kiss on Ian's cheek.

"Who the hell is this?" Questioned a voice from the table. The teen turned to see a large black woman feeding Liam breakfast, a scowl etched onto her face.

"I'm Daniela, we met briefly the other night. You must be Bob." Daniela turned back to her friend, who still looked down in the dumps. The girl noticed however, that whatever was troubling him was more than Monica showing up.

Making a mental note to ask him about it later, Daniela turned her attention to the rest of the Gallagher children and waved around the plastic container in her hands.

"I come bearing gifts in the form of muffins." As soon as Daniela had opened the lid, they pounced causing a small smile to grace her face. Monica, who Daniela noticed was feeling out of her element, sighed in exasperation.

Lip reached over the counter to grab a muffin and surveyed it for a moment before taking a bite. He made a satisfied sound at the taste and looked at Daniela who was watching him with an expectant look.

"These are good."

"Thanks, I figured I should bring something over just in case." Daniela had figured the night before that Monica would more than likely forget to feed them breakfast or lunch so she took the liberty of making some muffins. By the looks of the flustered woman, she made the right choice.

"Debbie, what are you doing?" Questioned Monica.

"Looking for markers and a poster board. I'm running for re-election."

"Ian, could you help her out please?" The boy didn't want to listen to his mother but got up anyway. Daniela took his seat and called out to Debbie.

"Hey, Debs. I could help you out with your re-election if you want. You can use some of my stuff and we'll make posters." The young girl quickly got excited and nodded.

"That would be great! Thanks, Ella."

"No prob," shrugged the teen as she poured herself a cup of coffee.

"I need 40 bucks," stated Lip to his mother but was quickly shot down by Bob.

"Bob, do you have a 5?" Pleaded Monica.

"In my wallet, where it's going to stay."

"I need a new calculus textbook. I can get it used, only costs 20."

"I'll give you $20," piped up Daniela. She saw Lip about to deny her offer but she held up a hand, stopping him. "I've been meaning to pay you for the tutoring but never got around to it. So technically it's not charity."

Lip still seemed less than happy to take her money but begrudgingly agreed, making Daniela smile.

"Lip tutors you?" Asked Monica, looking between her son and the girl.

"Yeah. He's a real miracle worker," nodded Daniela as she took another sip of her coffee. Monica looked at her son, whose gaze was now focused on Daniela. Their attentions were pulled away by Ian.

"Where are our lunches?"

Monica stared, clueless at her children. Daniela raised an unimpressed eyebrow at the woman.

"What is everybody looking at? Start spreading peanut butter on bread!" Ordered Bob from the table. Daniela found herself glaring at the lady who continued to sit at the table doing nothing.

"Right!" Nodded Monica, pulling pieces of bread out onto the counter. "Where's the jelly?"

Bob finally decided to take over from there, acting as the superior in that moment.

"I'm in charge now. We're gonna have an assembly line. Shortest to tallest, let's go!" The Gallagher children didn't move, not caring what their mother's girlfriend had to say. Daniela sat awkwardly, watching.

Monica finished off making the unimpressive lunches and began handing them out. Luckily, there were a few more muffins left that they could take to school.

"We won't be here when you get home from school," said Bob as she got up from her seat.

"Why?" Frowned Debbie.

"What?"

"Fiona always tells us why."

"None of your damn business why," argued Bob. "Your mother told you to go, so go."

"You guys go ahead," urged Lip as he hung back. "I'll catch up."

Daniela stood up from her seat and grabbed her bag. She looked between the two women and tilted her head.

"I would say it was nice to meet you Bob, but..."

Bob responded with a dark glare that followed her out of the door.

Ian sniggered beside his friend and threw an arm around her shoulders.

"I love you, you know that right?" Daniela, with a small smile, shrugged.

"I do. But it's always nice to hear it."

The group walked down to the corner of the street before Daniela turned to Ian.

"Do you think we should wait for Lip?" Her friend nodded and the four of them waited on the corner, in the snow, for Lip to catch up.

Moments later, the boy appeared, looking like he was in a hurry to get away. Daniela watched as Monica came running out after her son. The woman finally managed to stop him and began- what appeared to be- apologising to Lip.

The boy evaded his mother's eyes and instead turned them to where Daniela and the rest of his siblings stood. His eyes seemed to stick on her as Daniela stared at him in slight worry.

He was clearly upset which angered her because it was all because of Monica. The woman who had walked out on her own children. The woman who had broken Ian so much when Daniela met him that she never thought she'd get to see him smile. The woman who had returned after two years to drop a huge shit-pile of drama onto the family Daniela cared about so much.

Lip's clear blue eyes never wavered from Daniela's, using her as some sort of support. Finally, he looked away to speak to his mother who had taken him into an embrace. Saying his final words, Lip pulled away and walked to his waiting siblings and Daniela.

No-one said anything about it as they walked to school, which was fine for all of them. No-one wanted to talk about Monica.

/

Daniela sat on one of the tables in the school yard, a leg placed over the other and a muffin in hand, vaguely listening to Ian and Mandy's conversation about Mickey. Daniela had refrained from talking to her friend about the shooting since he had told her. For some reason, Ian seemed genuinely concerned for Mickey; something Daniela planned on bringing up at a later time.

"Couple of the neighborhood watch ladies came by the store- offered to throw him a parade," said Ian about Kash.

Daniela's eyebrow raised in amusement but she continued to stay silent, knowing this wasn't the right time to make snide comments.

"Hmm. Kash had better moved his family back to Baghdad before Mickey gets out," warned Mandy.

"He's from Evanston," frowned Ian.

"Won't be nearly far enough."

Daniela watched as Lip made his way over to their table and gave him a small wave in greeting.

"Hey", he replied before turning to the other girl who smirked at him. "Mandy."

" _Lip_."

"That's a nice outfit. What is that, pirate wench?"

"You like?" Daniela rolled her eyes at the pair's casual flirting and instead opted to looking around the rest of the courtyard. She spotted Simon sitting with his friends a few tables over and threw him a slight grin and wave. The boy's face lit up as he sent his own wave back.

Lip noticed, sucking on his teeth a little before turning back to his brother.

"What's your third period?"

"Um, Health?"

Lip nodded and adjusted his scarf. "We need to miss some school." Ian nodded and got up, ready to leave but Lip stuck behind, looking at Daniela.

"You coming?" The girl raised an eyebrow and smiled up at him.

"Aw, am I invited?" Lip smirked and rolled his eyes before shrugging, waiting patiently.

Daniela sighed and shook her head. "I can't anyway. I have a test for Trig but have fun doing whatever it is you're doing."

/

School had been out for an hour as Daniela and her brother found themselves pulling up to the hospital. The girl hadn't been around in a few days and was missing her mother. Also, the whole Monica situation had made her appreciate her mother even more. Daniela had even bought some flowers.

Camille's eyes lit up when she saw her children walk in, the woman quickly ushering them over. Jakob placed a kiss on his mother's cheek before Daniela squeezed her in a tight hug. The woman was a little shocked but simply smiled and kissed her head.

Jakob crossed over to a small cupboard and opened it to reveal some board games and a stack of playing cards. With a grin, he held up one of the boxes.

"Anyone for some Scrabble?"

/

"Where'd you get the car?" Asked Ian, checking out the interior of the vehicle.

"Borrowed it from Steve," replied Lip casually. "I've been working with him a bit."

"Doing what?" Ian scoffed at his brother's small grin and shook his head. "Well you better not let Fiona find out about it, or she'll kill you. And him."

Lip watched his brother leaning against the window with a frown.

"You doing okay?"

"Lot going on," said Ian shortly.

"Yeah. It's weird having Monica back."

"Yeah. Yeah, that too."

"What, is there something else?"

Ian looked at his brother, unsure, and shrugged it off. "It's kind of hard to explain."

Lip turned to Ian to give him his full attention. "Try me."

"Mickey's gay and we're doing it. And Kash shot Mickey because of me. But Mickey would rather go to juvie than admit he's gay. So I'm doing both Kash and Mickey. Well, not so much Kash lately. When Kash and me were hot and heavy, Linda found out about it and is blackmailing Kash into having another kid."

"Holy shit," replied a shocked Lip. He hadn't expected it to be that complicated. "Does Daniela know?"

Ian stared out through the front window and shook his head. "You're the only one that knows."

"Well, why haven't you told her?" Lip watched his brother take a deep sigh and looked at him again.

"Because their families hate each other for what her dad did," stated Ian, continuing when he saw his brother's clueless expression.

"After her dad killed Mickey's uncle and went to jail, his family has had a vendetta against hers. Mickey's dad and brothers used to drive past their house every day after her father went away and threw bricks at their windows. Sometimes they would light things on fire and throw them in too. Mickey's brothers went to school with her brother, Jakob and they would always fight. It simmered down after a few years but they still hate each other."

Lip took in all the new information. He knew that Daniela had issues with Mandy but he didn't think it was that extreme. He remembered hearing about Lawrence Kaufman being arrested when he was younger but was under the impression it was just about the man's illegal trade. Things made more sense to him now about why she never really hung out with Mandy as much as Ian.

It was strange to Lip. Daniela had grown up only a few houses down from them, but they had never really known each other. He vaguely remembered her hair always being in pigtails and smiling with her brother. However, he also remembered how her smile seemed to disappear for awhile after her father was taken away.

Brow furrowed, Lip stared at his brother. "I don't think Daniela would hate you for fucking Mickey."

"How would you know?" Scoffed Ian, rolling his eyes. Truth be told, the boy was scared to tell his best friend because he was unsure of her reaction.

"Daniela wouldn't do that to you," refused Lip quickly. Ian gave his brother a strange look, making him cough and look away. "I mean, you're her best friend. She cares about you and sure she might be a bit pissed at first but she'll get over it. For you."

Ian observed his brother curiously, something Lip saw and picked up on.

"What?" He asked, feeling a little uncomfortable under his brother's gaze.

"Since when are you nice to Ella?"

Lip swallowed and shrugged. chewing on his lip. "She's not as bad as I thought she was."

" _Yeah_ , I know. I've been telling you that for the past two years now," drawled Ian, rolling his eyes. "Why the sudden change?"

"We talked and she assured me that she's not going anywhere and that she won't hurt you," answered Lip, looking at his brother before averting his eyes.

"And yes, okay _maybe_ I judged her a little harshly when she showed up but we've settled things. And now that I know that she really cares about you, I know she won't stop being your friend when you tell her about Mickey."

Ian sat in silence, just thinking. Daniela and Lip's relationship had done a complete 180 in only a few short days. Hearing his brother speak about her in a tone other than contempt was strange.

He knew what Lip said was true and kicked himself for believing Daniela would behave any differently. Their entire friendship, she had always supported him. Hell, she even somehow managed to accept him and Kash.

Then and there, Ian decided that he would tell Daniela about Mickey after he visited him in juvie.

Lip stopped his train of thought by gesturing to their house where Monica and Bob, who was carrying Liam, walked out.

"There they are."

/

"Um, is that even a word?" Questioned Daniela skeptically.

"Of course it is!" Argued Jakob in mock outrage. His sister raised a skeptical eyebrow and surveyed the word.

" _Mungo_?"

"Yeah! It's another name for a dumpster diver." Daniela hummed before accepting it.

The game continued for a few more minutes until Camille began coughing uncontrollably. Both of her children stared with wide eyes. Quickly, Jakob got up and left the room before returning with a cup of water. The woman drank from the cup gratefully until her coughing calmed down.

Daniela observed her mother with a fallen expression. It never got easier seeing her mom like this. Camille, sensing her daughter's sadness, placed a cold hand on top of hers. Daniela graced her mother with a small smile before rubbing their hands together to warm them up.

/

Daniela and Jakob pulled up outside of their house around half an hour later. The young man switched off the engine and relaxed in his seat. He had noticed his sister's silence all afternoon and decided to bring it up.

"What's on your mind, kiddo?" The girl's eyes snapped to him, she had been off in her own thoughts the entire time.

"Not much. Just been thinking. About, Dad."

Jakob frowned and nodded, urging her to continue.

"Ian's mom showed up after leaving two years ago and the whole situation kind of reminded me of Dad. And I was thinking about going to visit him maybe this weekend."

Daniela watched as slight surprise fell onto her brother's face. She understood why. It was the first time she had brought up the idea of willingly going to see her father.

Jakob nodded slowly once more before smiling at his sister. "I think that can be arranged."

Daniela hopped out of the car, waving goodbye to her brother who was going to meet up with a lady friend. The less Daniela knew, the better.

Turning around, the girl stopped when she saw Ian sitting on her front steps. The boy seemed troubled as he blew hot air into his cupped hands for warmth. Daniela approached him slowly, coming to a stop when she reached him. Ian seemed to notice she was there and looked up at her.

"What's wrong?" Frowned Daniela in worry. Her friend chewed on his lip and stood up.

"I need to tell you something," stated Ian nervously.

"O- _kay_ ," replied the girl, eyeing him warily. "Come in, it's freezing out here." Ian nodded and waited as she unlocked the door before following her in. Daniela hung her jacket and led Ian into the lounge so they could talk.

"What's up?"

The ginger had begun to pace around Daniela's small lounge. He fidgeted with his arms and seemed to be giving himself a quiet peptalk. Stopping suddenly, he stared at his friend with urgent eyes.

"Before I tell you, you have to _promise_ you won't get angry."

"That's what people get you to do before they tell you something to piss you off," pointed out Daniela, giving him a suspicious once-over. "But, I promise."

Ian nodded in satisfaction as he took a seat across from her. He took a few more moments, dragging out the situation even more- much to Daniela's annoyance.

"Ian, will you just tell me already? I'm kind of freaking out!"

"I had sex with Mickey," blurted out Ian. In an instant, the humorous smile on Daniela's face dropped to a look of complete shock. Ian took this oppurtunity while she was quiet to tell her the full story.

How he'd gone over to Mickey's house to get Kash's gun back, how they had fought and then fucked. How he had been fucking him for a few weeks now. How he had gone to see him after finding out Monica had come back and how Kash had found them doing it in the back of the store.

The whole time Ian explained everything, Daniela remained silent. Although she seemed somewhat composed, inside she was all over the place.

Remembering that her friend had made her promise not to get pissed- and wisely too, Daniela reigned in her more negative reactions.

After what seemed like forever for Ian, his friend finally managed to compose a response.

"So. Woah," muttered the girl silently. " _Woah_!" She said again, this time a lot louder. "This is a _lot_ to take in right now." The girl's hands flew up to massage her temples as she got up to pace.

"Please, _please_ , don't be angry!" Pleaded Ian, taking a hold of her hand. Daniela stopped, sighed and licked her lips.

"I'm not going to lie, it's a little difficult. But I'm trying." The boy sighed and dropped his head in slight relief. She was taking this a lot better than he had expected she would.

Daniela frowned down at her fingers that seemed to be fidgeting uncontrollably. She couldn't be angry at Ian. He hadn't planned for this to happen.

Taking a deep breath, she looked back up at her friend and managed a small smile. "I'm not angry."

"Wait, what?" Stuttered Ian. The boy's expression elicited a small laugh from his friend who shook her head and shrugged.

"Okay, maybe I'm a little angry but if this is what you want, and if he makes you happy, I'm not angry. Of course, this doesn't mean I like Mickey now just because he's boning my best friend. But I can try and be a little less hostile towards him."

Ian's face was overcome with joy as he released all the anxiousness in his body. Moving forward, he took his friend into his arms and held her tightly.

"Lip was actually right." Daniela frowned and pulled back to look Ian in the eyes.

"Lip was right about what?"

"He told me that I shouldn't be afraid to tell you because you're my best friend and would try to be as understanding as possible," grinned Ian happily.

"Well, I suppose he was right," laughed Daniela before taking him into another hug.

/

Daniela lay spread out on the mattress in the middle of Steve and Fiona's new living room. The lingering stench of Mr Harris had stung her nose at first until she finally got used to it.

In front of her paced Fiona, who was informing them all about her efforts to try and get rid of Frank and Monica's parental rights.

"So Liam is actually Franks?" Piped up Daniela to Ian who was sat on the couch across the room. The boy nodded, still somewhat surprised himself.

"Apparently Nana Gallagher had an affair."

The girl scoffed out a laugh, switching her eyes to the door when a light knock sounded out before Lip entered.

"Jesus. This place still smells like old man Harris," said the boy, his nose crinkled in disgust.

"You get used to it after awhile," replied Daniela calmly.

"What did Monica want?" Asked Fiona, steering the conversation away.

"She wants us to come over for dinner," answered the boy. "Some kind of family meeting."

Fiona scoffed. "Family? Fucking load of shit. You told her we know Liam's, Frank's?"

"Yeah," confirmed Lip. He moved over to the inflatable mattress where Daniela was and lightly kicked her leg, getting her to move over. The girl sent him a playful glare and sat up, moving aside slightly so he could sit down.

"You got any pot?" Asked Fiona desperately to her boyfriend. Steve answered by simply pulling out a tin. "If I have to go see Mom conscious I might commit a violent felony."

"That's the first time in a long time I've heard you call her Mom," quipped Lip as he pulled out a cigarette. His sister frowned back at him.

"I did? I don't know if I ever felt like she was my Mom." Daniela felt a pang of sympathy for the woman.

"Ian and I got our DNA tests done."

"Really?" Asked Daniela, looking between the two brothers.

"Yeah, I got excited at the idea of not being Frank's. Plus, you would have a lot more luck becoming our legal guardian," explained Lip with a shrug.

"Lip's gonna pick up the results in an hour," informed Ian as he took the joint from Steve.

"Well here's to you not being Frank's," concluded Fiona. Daniela looked curiously at the boy beside her and frowned.

"Where's Karen? I haven't seen her hanging around in awhile."

"Her Dad talked her into going to some Purity Ball in return for a new car," explained Lip with a smirk. The girl laughed slightly and nodded. The boy glanced at her and lifted his head. "You coming to dinner?"

"Uh, I thought it was a family dinner?" Questioned Daniela with a raised brow. Lip shrugged and took a puff of his cigarette.

"Fuck 'em. You're more apart of this family than Monica is." His casual but honest tone took Daniela off guard as their eyes lingered on each other until he finally turned away. It was strange for her to hear him so openly accepting her after so long.

Oddly, it felt nice.

The corners of her mouth lifted a little in gladness as her feet tapped lightly on the floor.

/

"It's nice of you to join us for dinner, Daniela," said Monica as she placed a dish on the table.

"Happy to be here," smiled the girl. She was seated beside Fiona and had left the chair next to her vacant for Lip when he got back with the DNA results.

Bob stared darkly at the girl, her elbows rested on the table with her hands clenched together. Daniela narrowed her eyes at the woman and shot her a sickly sweet smile. Bob grunted, averting her eyes back to Monica.

"I would love to get to know you a little more," insisted the blonde woman. She was stopped by Bob clearing her throat. Monica, seeming to remember that she wouldn't be around for much longer, nodded at her partner and grabbed a spatula.

"I made Ian's favorite for dinner." Ian stared down at the dish in confusion.

"What is it?"

"Lasagne!" Monica then cut him a piece and popped it onto his plate. "Carl, could you start passing the salad?" The boy looked at Fiona for assurance and when she nodded, picked up the bowl.

"Monica is Liam's mother and I know you won't be happy-"

"Jesus, Bob! Can we just enjoy our dinner, _then_ talk?" Asked Monica in a light tone. "Where's Lip?"

"He had something to do," answered Ian.

Daniela took the serving spoons from Carl's hands and began to place some of the salad onto her plate. As she did, Frank arrived, taking his seat beside Ian.

"Looks good," praised the drunk. Fiona sent an exasperated look her father's way before turning to Monica.

"If you called us here to tell us you're taking Liam, we don't wanna hear it."

"Fiona, you're upset. I get it. I was married to Frank for 18 years. I know, it's like swallowing broken glass _every_ , day."

"Hey!" Cried Frank indignantly.

"Oh, Lip!" Beamed Monica as the teen walked in. Daniela rotated in his seat to see him taking off his scarf. "Wonderful! We just started."

"That's unfortunate," mumbled the boy.

"Your mother said 6:30. You lose your watch?"

"No, I don't have a watch _Bob_ ," retorted Lip as he took his seat beside Daniela. The girl smirked at him in amusement. The boy smirked back and scooted his chair in, leaning over to whisper to her. "What did I miss?"

"Nothing important," shrugged Daniela. "Just Monica's dark recounts of married life with Frank." Lip chuckled and looked at Ian who was watching him with inquisitive eyes.

"What's the news?"

"Haven't opened it yet. Figured we should do it together." Lip read the envelope before opening it. "Me and Ian have decided to get our DNA tests done too- on the off chance that we're not Frank's kids."

"What?" Frowned Monica, upset in her voice.

"Yeah, we figured why should you and Bob get to have all the fun?" Daniela leaned over to read the papers. Her eyes widened when she saw the results, her gaze flicking over to Ian's waiting ones.

"Holy shit," breathed Lip. "Congratulations, Ian. You are not Frank Gallagher's son." Ian froze in shock, along with everyone else at the table. Daniela watched as Frank stared at a flustered Monica.

Soon an argument broke out between the two. Daniela sat back quietly, listening with a raised eyebrow at the conversation.

"Not only, did you lie to me about the PCP, but you fucked my brother?" Yelled Frank angrily. "What's next? You gonna take up with a black lady-man? Oh! I forgot, that's already happened".

Daniela barely tried to hide the laugh that bubbled up inside of her. Ian, who was literally sat in the middle of it, placed his hands over his ears in an attempt to block it out.

Pushing out her chair, she marched around the table, placed a hand on her friend's shoulder and gestured her head to the door. Ian looked at her gratefully and quickly followed her out.

As soon as they stepped out, the boy hunched over, placing his hands on his knees. Daniela heard him taking deep inhales of the bitter air. To help ease him, she placed a hand on his back and began rubbing soothing circles. They stayed like that for a few minutes. Ian trying to compose himself, and Daniela trying her hardest to comfort him.

When he was done, Ian stood straight again and leaned against the step rails. Daniela did the same on the opposite side and watched him intently. Lip then made his way out onto the porch.

"How you holding up?" He asked his brother.

"Um, alright." Lip nodded and pulled out a cigarette to light it.

"What are you going to do about it?" Inquired Daniela softly. Her friend frowned at her in response.

"What do you mean?"

"You're not gonna go out and look for your real father?"

"I don't really care," shrugged Ian casually. "At least I'm not Frank's."

"Exactly!" Interrupted Lip, placing a hand on his brother's shoulders. "You've been blessed with the opportunity of a new dad. You're not going to take it?"

"I don't know. I'll think about it," finished Ian in slight frustration.

/

They all sat in Steve and Fiona's lounge once again. Lip peered out the window, watching his mother and Bob.

"It looks like they're packing."

"We could call the police, tell them that Liam's been kidnapped," suggested Debbie. Fiona leaned forward and brushed her sister's hair out of her eyes.

"Hey, we're gonna figure this shit out. Okay?"

Daniela observed Ian. He hadn't said much else to her or anyone else. Fiona had asked him how he was feeling but the boy had just shrugged her off.

"Hey guys. They're coming out," announced Lip. Everyone stood up and headed outside to wait.

Daniela stood tensely in-between Ian and Lip. She watched as Monica slowly walked towards them, Liam in her arms. The woman placed a teary kiss on the boy's cheek before handing him over to an equally upset Fiona.

As Monica began to walk away, Fiona called out to her and nodded. She had done the right thing. Daniela found herself feeling a little emotional at the sight of a broken Monica walking away from her kids once more.

Her hand shifted slowly to Ian's. As soon as she touched him, the boy gripped her hand tightly. The girl's heart broke a little at her friend's pain and the tears she saw in his eyes. Daniela twisted her head to the other side to look at Lip.

He was clearly upset as he had his arm on Carl's shoulder in support. Daniela realised then and there that he didn't have anyone to support _him_. So, in order to fix that, she reached out with her free hand to gently brush against the back of his.

Lip's eyes connected to hers before dropping to her hand. Wordlessly, his own slowly wrapped around hers, their fingers lacing together. His eyes stayed fixated on them until he moved them to linger on Daniela as she offered him a warm smile that sparked some sort of reassurance in his chest.

As they watched Bob's truck pull away and Monica's crying face pushed up against the window, Daniela felt Lip's grip on her hand tighten. She didn't mind as she tried not to think about how comfortable her hand fit into his.

Little did she know, Lip was thinking the same thing.

* * *

Thoughts? I was tossing over who was going to initiate the hand-holding but decided to go with Daniela. It's just the kind of person she is.

 **REVIEW!**


	11. Daddyz Girl

**Chapter 11.**

Sorry for the late update, chronic headaches and homework held me back.

Thanks so much for all the lovely reviews! They were great.

 _Special thanks to_ : scarlettsoldier, guest, soccergurl382, Spencee98, blue Wren, ItsMalecNotLeviosA, SincerelyAnOpportunist and georgalicious.

 **Disclaimer** : I don't own Shameless.

* * *

Teenagers buzzed around the halls of the school, heading in various directions to spend their lunch time. Daniela made her way to her locker to put her stuff away, weaving through the bodies of fellow students. Ian and Mandy had most likely already done the same and were now waiting outside at their usual table.

As she put her books away, she briefly glanced to the side where she saw Lip walking, his back to her. She had been meaning to talk to him away from Ian for awhile now.

It had been just over a week since Monica left and Ian learned he wasn't Frank's son and ever since then, Lip had been trying to convince his brother to go looking for his real father. His insistence about the thing had been bringing her friend down more and more as he just wanted to forget about the whole ordeal.

Still, despite Ian's protests, Lip would continue to badger him more and more about it. This lead to even Daniela, who was originally on his side, to grow extremely annoyed herself.

Frustrated, Daniela took it upon herself to pull him away when she had the chance to talk to him about it and to tell him to back off.

Seeing this as her golden opportunity, she closed her locker and hurried after him. He walked ahead of her casually. Karen hadn't been at school the whole week so he was by himself, which was fine for Daniela.

Gaining speed, she grabbed him by the back of his jacket before tugging him into a nearby empty classroom, shutting the door behind her. Lip made a small noise of confusion pushing whoever had grabbed him against the wall in self-defense. This time it was Daniela's turn to make a noise of surprise.

Lip raised an eyebrow at the girl who had pulled him in here. Setting his hands on either side of her, he created a barrier.

"You know, if you wanted to get me alone. All you had to do was ask," smirked the boy in amusement. His eyes flicked over her face. Daniela's eyes were more so focused on his arms keeping her locked in and the lack of space between the two of them now.

A warm flush began to build up from her neck to her cheeks- much to the girl's dismay. Lip noted the now red tint to her face as his smirk grew even more.

Daniela's train of thought was completely foggy as she stood there, braced against the wall. She could feel her heart beating faster suddenly from the heated look in Lip's eyes. Her brain cursed itself for being such a teenager.

When the boy chuckled lightly, Daniela's mind was cleared as her proper intentions resurfaced.

Clearing her throat, she crossed her arms. Something that was not too easy as his arms were rather close to hers, causing her to bump them. Still, Lip kept them there, watching her with curiosity and humor as she composed herself. She had come in here to corner him, not the other way around. And she damn well wasn't going to let him get to her.

Brushing a strand of hair from out of her eyes, Daniela lifted her chin. Her face was serious now. All business. It kind of worried Lip.

"Did I do something wrong?" He frowned. He didn't think he had. Things had been going well with them- pretty great actually as far as he was concerned.

They were closer now and Lip would even consider her a good friend. She had been doing even better in Physics thanks to his tutoring, her grades rising to a C-plus. He didn't recall doing anything bad. The thought of doing something wrong to Daniela all of a sudden made him feel strange. Like he didn't want that.

Daniela saw the worry in his eyes and sighed.

"You need to stop pressuring Ian into finding his real dad."

Lip was taken back at first. This was what she wanted to talk to him about?

With a shake of his head, he wiped a hand over his face. This left an open space for Daniela to move free from the wall. But she never moved.

"I just want Ian to take advantage of this opportunity he's been given," reasoned Lip.

"And I get that Lip, I do. But it's Ian's decision. Not yours. And whatever Ian wants to do about this is his choice and not mine or yours. You just have to accept it."

Lip placed his hand back on the wall, enclosing Daniela once again. His head dropped slightly. "Ian's an idiot for not wanting to find him."

"And _you're_ an asshole for forcing him to do something he doesn't want to," said Daniela. She tilted her head and pursed her lips. "I know you hate Frank and that you secretly wish it was you instead of Ian. But it wasn't. So stop trying to inflict your opinion on him."

Lip stayed silent, and Daniela knew he was finally listening. She was slightly surprised at how easy it had been, though.

Her eyes flickered around the room curious as to which room she had pulled them into. There were in one of the Science rooms. A paper-mache solar system decorated the room.

"Okay," nodded Lip, breaking the silence. Daniela looked back to him and let out a small sigh of satisfaction.

"Great!" She blinked at Lip, expecting him to move already. But he didn't. Instead, he stayed rooted to his spot, his thoughts seeming to travel away to something else.

The air around them slowly grew thick again as Daniela stared back at him. Lip's eyes were intense now, making her wonder what had caused this change. That flush she loathed made it's way back onto her cheeks, reddening them.

A small shudder passed through her when she felt one of his hands trail down from the wall to rest on her neck softly. She watched with baited breath as Lip's icy blue eyes lingered on his hand caressing her soft skin.

Daniela was scared to breathe, afraid that if she made- even the slightest noise- she would ruin the moment.

 _But why wouldn't she want to ruin the moment?_

This haze overtaking the two teens was confusing her.

Lip's thumb rubbed up and down on her neck. He enjoyed this. Seeing her flushed. It was the first time he had ever seen her like this, and it triggered something in him. He was expecting it about as much as she was. However seeing her here, stood in between himself and the wall, blushing, flicked a switch in him.

He found that his thoughts often traveled to the girl in front of him as of late. He guessed it had started back when she had held his hand that night. But he knew that wasn't it. It had always sort of been around. He had just never bothered to acknowledge it.

But now he wanted to.

Daniela seemed to be contemplating the same thing herself as Lip's head inched closer to hers. She waited in slight trepidation and- what was that? Anticipation?

Mentally shaking that thought right out of her brain, Daniela took her bottom lip in-between her teeth nervously. This was completely alien to her. Not so much the emotions but more so who they were directed at.

Lip's face was even closer now- a breath away. His head tilted slightly as he moved his mouth closer to hers. Daniela's eyelashes fluttered and she found her eyes closing as her own head moved forward.

 **BRRING!**

Daniela gasped softly as her eyes flickered open. Lip had paused, the sound of the bell breaking the moment.

 _Was it a moment?_ She questioned to herself.

Letting out a ragged breath, she looked back up at the planets hanging from the ceiling, zoning in on Jupiter. Lip pulled his arms back slowly and stepped back. Daniela felt like her lungs could finally work again.

Tucking more hair behind her ears, she gave the boy one more look before hurrying out of the classroom. He watched her go, a deep look on his face. As she made her way to her locker, she convinced herself that it was nothing and that her heart wasn't going crazy in her chest.

/

"How's Mickey?" Asked Daniela to Ian. Her friend glanced at her, halting his actions of throwing a ball up and catching it. He held it between his hands and nodded.

"He's as good as Mickey could be. Hates juvie, though. Some guy keeps stealing his Jell-O," Ian laughed quietly. "Threatened to stab him if he did it again."

"Hey, I would do the same if someone stole _my_ Jell-O," argued Daniela raising her hands up in defense. "When's he get out?"

"A year. Couple months if he doesn't do anything stupid."

Daniela scoffed. "That'll be difficult." At her friend's raised eyebrow she winced. "Sorry. Still getting used to it I guess." Ian sighed and nodded his head.

"I know you are," he smiled gratefully at his friend who returned it.

Daniela suddenly reached out and took the softball from his hands before piffing it at his head. Ian let out a cry of pain which she soon shot down. The two wrestled with each other before Ian reached for the ball and threw it back at her, getting her chest. Daniela laughed as Fiona came into the room.

"Stop downloading porn!"

"Oops. Busted," said Lip in a distracted tone. Daniela glanced at him sitting on the laptop on the other side of the room.

Neither had said anything about what had happened the following day. She had been all for clearing the air but Lip seemed to think that wasn't necessary, acting as if nothing happened. Daniela didn't mind. It made things easier and less complicated for her. She had chalked what happened up to hormones. Biological.

Nothing to worry about.

"I need a sweater," stated Fiona, quickly opening the boy's drawers.

"Help yourself," shrugged Lip, going back to what he was doing.

"What are you guys doing?"

"Looking for homeboy's dad." Daniela sat up straight and glared at Lip.

When he had chosen to forget what had happened in the classroom, she didn't think he would throw her clearly asking to _not_ pursue this, to the wind. He could feel her angry eyes on him as he glanced over at her for a second.

" _He's_ looking for homeboy's dad," clarified Ian, clearly annoyed.

"Jesus, there are a lot of Gallaghers. Hey Fiona, do you know any of Frank's brother's names?"

"Shit. I have no idea. Oh, I think one of them is Wendell or something."

"I suppose I could just start calling them all," pondered Lip to himself. Daniela's jaw was clenched in annoyance at the boy.

"Why do you care anyway?" Asked Fiona.

"He just wishes it was him that wasn't Frank's kid," sighed Ian, throwing his ball up again and catching it. Lip didn't deny his brother's statement.

"Plus, if we find Ian's real dad, maybe he'll give us some cash. Or we could report his name to the State and collect child support."

"Then I'd have to hang out with the dude," said Ian with a cringe.

"What? He might be cool. He's gotta be better than Frank. Maybe he has a job, or he's sober, or he likes kids."

"That does sound marginally better than Frank," piped up Daniela, admittedly. "But it's up to Ian."

"Take the bus out to see Grammy," suggested Fiona as Debbie pulled her away. "She'll know."

Lip's mouth formed a straight line as he looked to his brother who looked just as enthusiastic as he did.

"Where's your Grammy?" Asked Daniela curiously.

"Prison," huffed Ian, slamming his head back onto the bed.

/

"Where are we going?" Frowned Daniela as herself, Ian and Lip walked down the snow covered streets.

"Karen's," answered Lip shortly. He pulled out a cigarette and lit it, taking the lead. The girl rolled her eyes behind him and trudged along.

The thought of Karen joining in on their little adventure left a bad taste in her mouth. She didn't completely hate the girl, but she could definitely do without her presence.

As they neared the house, Daniela slowed down. Lip walked up to knock on the door. Sheila quickly welcomed them in, handing them plastic bags for their shoes. Daniela took hers with a small thanks before placing her shoes in them. Lip went to find Karen leaving Ian and Daniela with Sheila.

The woman stood there awkwardly as the two teens looked around. She quickly urged them to sit and asked if they wanted anything to drink- which they both turned down politely.

Daniela could sense the tension Ian felt. Given the circumstances of their last visit, she didn't blame him.

Sheila came and sat with them as they waited patiently for Lip and Karen to return. The boy eventually did, but not with Karen. Daniela raised an eyebrow at his obvious anger as he quickly said goodbye to Sheila and left. The two remaining teens did the same and grabbed their shoes.

When they stepped outside, Lip was tapping his foot impatiently. He pulled out another cigarette to smoke and as soon as the others had their shoes on, took off to the train. Ian and Daniela shared a look before both shrugged and followed.

/

Daniela walked beside Ian and pulled her coat tighter around her to get rid of the cold. They were on their way to the bus-stop and Lip still hadn't spoken much since they had left Karen's.

She figured he was just silently brewing in his anger, something she was grateful for. She could do without having to listen to his and Karen's relationship issues.

Daniela ignored Lip's silent anger and stuck to talking with Ian. They had been talking Mickey again and juvie when the conversation drifted to her father.

"I was going to go and see him tomorrow," she said sounding somewhat unsure. "You know, to talk things over."

Ian glanced sideways at her and bobbed his head. "Sounds like it will be good for you. You can get everything off your chest and vice versa, I guess."

"Yeah. Yeah, it should be good."

Lip, who had been listening silently in front of them, slowed down so they could catch up. Casting a quick look at the girl, he turned to his brother.

"Aren't you just a little curious to find out who he is?" He asked persistently. Ian's eyes rolled skyward as he groaned lowly. Once again, they were back to this.

"No," stated Ian bluntly.

"But why? He could be any one of these guys," Lip gestured to the men walking past all around them. Daniela surveyed them all. None stood out as someone who could be Ian's dad.

With a smirk, her friend gestured to a man dressed up in drag passed out against a wall. "Oh yeah? Like that one right there?"

"Totally," laughed Lip along with Daniela.

"Look, he's gonna be a douchebag no matter what."

"You don't know that for sure," she replied with a shrug. "Frank could be the worst of the bunch."

"He's a Gallagher," droned Ian.

"Well, maybe he'll take you to a game, or kick in some scratch for college, or give a kidney or hey! Maybe even a birthday card once a year." Lip continued his efforts to convince his brother to take it into more consideration as all three of them took a seat at the bus-stop.

"Do we know any cool dads?" Frowned Ian, tone laced with doubt.

"Well, mines in prison so I guess that rules me out," sighed Daniela, turning her attention to the cars driving past.

"Scotty Houston's father," answered his brother.

"Isn't he a registered sex offender?" She questioned curiously. Lip's face dropped as he remembered the same thing.

"Oh. Yeah."

Ian looked at the both of them, not feeling any better, and took a deep sigh.

/

Daniela shuffled into the visiting room behind the two boys. They stood alongside the wall with a guard as two others bought in the woman that was Ian and Lip's Grandmother. The woman seemed to easily elicit a vibe of power and control as she sat down on the other side of the glass.

"Hey Grammy," greeted Lip as he took his own seat. Grammy looked at the three of them with a deep frown.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Grams, it's us. Lip and Ian, Frank's sons."

"Your grandsons?" Offered Ian, leaning forward. Recognition filled her eyes before smiling wide.

"Oh my goodness. Would you look at you two? I have never seen apple and spice looking so nice, ha!" Grammy's eyes flicked to Daniela curiously. "You fucking one of my grandsons?"

"No!" Denied Daniela quickly with wide eyes. "No, no. I'm just a friend." Grammy raised an eyebrow.

"Just a friend?"

"Yes," nodded the girl, smiling slightly.

Grammy hummed to herself, not quite believing her. Lip subtly glanced behind him at Daniela, an image of her in that classroom flitting into his head. Grammy didn't miss it and laughed quietly to herself.

"How's it going in there?" He asked, giving her his attention once more.

"Well the food's not so great, but the pussy's pretty good. Never thought I'd be the type." The two boys looked down at their hands awkwardly. Daniela held back a snicker. "Oh, this dump's not too bad. I can get blow anytime I like."

"Sounds alright," nodded Lip.

"Yeah, the only thing that sucks is that they've got me cleaning toilets. I want to be on the kitchen crew but they won't let me near the place. One meth-lab explosion and this is what I get," ranted Grammy.

"Well yeah, it's probably the two college students that died in the fire, Grams." The woman gave the two boys a look and changed the subject.

Daniela sat back and listened as the two of them- well, mainly Lip- explained that they were looking for the names of Frank's brothers. After negotiating a carton of cigarettes a week, Grammy spilled the names before being taken back to her cell.

"And you tell Jerry that if he doesn't pay me back that 5 grand he stole, I'm gonna send my ex-husband over to gouge his eyes out with a grapefruit spoon!"

"What an interesting woman," noted Daniela from her spot. The brothers looked at her blankly before getting up to leave.

/

Later that night after Daniela had gone home for a hot shower, she made her way to the Gallagher house. Walking in, she saw that they had moved the dining table into the lounge.

"Carl, hey! We're decorating, not eating," scolded Fiona. The teen laughed at the sight of Carl squeezing a whole bag of icing into his mouth.

"Ooh, decorating! Sounds fun. What's it for?" She asked, taking a nearby seat.

"They're cupcakes for the St. Patrick's Day party at my school," answered Debbie as she piped white frosting onto one.

Daniela raised an eyebrow. "Try saying that five times really fast."

She looked over at Carl who had now moved onto eating the frosting off of the already-decorated cupcakes. "Great decoration skills, Carl. What look are you going for there?"

"Uh, I think it's a scrotum," laughed Lip. He was currently flipping through a phonebook. Daniela gestured with her chin towards it.

"What are you doing there?"

"Going through and looking for a Clayton and Jerry Gallagher."

"Yeah, he's gotten even more enthusiastic about it now that he knows their names," said Ian, grabbing a beer and sitting next to his friend. She scoffed and rolled her eyes. Lip looked ready to start up another spiel about the whole thing but the two stopped him before he could.

"Here, eat a cupcake."

Daniela shoved him towards his face, managing to get some frosting on his nose. Lip looked up from the phonebook to give her a half-hearted glare. She, on the other hand, couldn't help the corners of her mouth twitching up at the sight.

"Whoops," she grinned, sounding anything less than apologetic.

Her smile dropped when Lip shoved his own cupcake into his face. He laughed at her shocked expression. He felt something stir inside of him as he watched her scrape off the icing with a finger before popping it into her mouth. It intensified when she even let out a short moan at the taste.

"I can see why you're eating all of this now," she said, directing her eyes to Carl. The boy, along with Ian and Debbie, sat staring at her and Lip with raised eyebrows. Daniela frowned and started wiping at her face. "What? Is there still some on my face?"

"Are you two dating?" Asked Debbie curiously, out of nowhere.

"No!" Denied Lip and Daniela at the same time.

Ian, who had been watching the two, took a swig of his beer and gestured to his two younger siblings sitting at the table. "Do you want us to leave?"

"What? No," scoffed Daniela as she leaned back and crossed her arms. "Why would you need to?" Her friend replied with a simple knowing look that managed to make her avert her eyes.

Lip picked up a cupcake and took a bite of it. "It's no big deal. We're just friends."

"Yeah!" Agreed the girl quickly.

/

It was a couple hours later that Debbie managed to finish her cupcakes. Daniela had offered to help out since her and Lip destroyed some and Carl was just terrible at decorating. As she washed up, Debbie yawned and excused herself.

"Night, Debs."

"Night, Ella. Thanks again." The young girl sluggishly worked her way up the stairs.

Daniela continued washing up in a content silence. As she scrubbed icing off a bowl, she heard the sound of footsteps descending the stairs. She cast a quick look over her shoulder and smiled slightly at Lip.

His hair was in slight disarray as Daniela noticed the look of deep thought that marred his features.

Turning back to the sink, she continued scrubbing whilst listening to him open the fridge and the clink of a beer bottle being taken out. He leaned against the counter, popping the top off and taking a swig.

Daniela felt his eyes trained on her and turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Can I help you?" Lip continued to stare, making her feel slightly uncomfortable. It was more inquisitive than heated. Daniela wondered whether or not this pleased her.

"You're a girl," he said finally. The girl blew an exasperated breath and turned to face him fully.

She placed a wet hand on her cocked out hip. "Keen observation, Phillip." He shook his head and chewed on the inside of his lip, something Daniela noted curiously. "You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. It's just. Things have been a bit difficult with Karen," explained Lip and she had to fight the urge to roll her eyes. No, she couldn't do that. They were friends- or whatever- now and that meant having to put up with his relationship issues, no matter how much she didn't want to.

Sighing a little, Daniela leaned against the sink and crossed her arms, giving Lip her full attention. "I'm assuming you want to talk about it?"

He nodded at her in response. "Basically her dad called her a whore at that Purity Ball in front of everyone which pissed her off. Now she has this huge nose piercing and she's trashing her dad's room and acting different."

"When I went to talk to her, she basically shut me out. I mean, I did say she was a bit of a whore- but I don't care about that. I _like_ that about her! And she's pissed at her dad and now me and I just wanna fix it but I don't know how." Lip ended his spiel with a defeated shrug of his shoulders.

Daniela pursed her lips in thought. "Karen's just going through something right now and this new attitude that you're talking about sounds like her way of dealing with things. She's pissed at her dad, and rightfully so. But you've gotta let her get it all out of her system. If she doesn't and you keep trying to help, she'll just keep pushing you out."

"I'd also refrain from calling her a whore anymore. Probably wasn't the best thing you could've said," she suggested before tilting her head. "Even if it is true."

Lip listened, bopping his head along. He took another drink of beer before gesturing towards the sink with it.

"You don't have to do that you know? Me and Ian can do it tomorrow." Daniela shrugged and turned back to the cooling water.

"I don't mind. Besides, I helped out with the cupcakes and my mother would throw a fit if I didn't," she joked. Lip chuckled to himself and shook his head.

"There you go again," he said in exasperation, moving closer. The girl eyed him and frowned.

"What?" Rotating slightly, she saw Lip step behind her. He stared down at her, a small smile on his face.

"Helping. You're always helping," he answered lowly. His eyes trailed over her face. From her hair to her eyes, to her nose.

Finally, he settled upon her lips. Daniela swallowed, feeling her stomach fill up with that unfamiliarity she had been experiencing more and more around him lately. Her own gaze washed over his neck and chest, resting on his collarbone. She wasn't much shorter than him, but in that moment she felt tiny.

Clearing her throat, she managed to pull her eyes away to settle on a dishcloth beside the sink. Reaching for it, she threw it at his chest and turned back to the sink.

"I wash, you dry," she said, avoiding further eye contact. Lip let out a breath and nodded dutifully. He began drying and soon enough, the two were done.

After the last dish was put away, Daniela mumbled a quick goodbye before grabbing her things and going.

* * *

Building some momentum- _finally_! This was originally going to be a double episode but I decided against it so I could get this out faster. Technically, this is only half of Episode 11.

Review and let me know what you thought!

 **REVIEW!**


	12. Father Frank, Full of Grace Pt1

**Chapter 12.**

Believe it or not, this is only the first 15 minutes of Episode 12.

 _Special thanks to_ blue Wren, Spencee98, ItsMalecNotLeviosA, guest, BehindGrayEyes, x NikiSt x, ShortMonster, MonicaH14, leftmysanityathome, and ebonbon!

I'm loving all the responses!

 **Disclaimer** : I don't own Shameless

* * *

Daniela swore there were dozens of butterflies fluttering around in her stomach. She couldn't seem to stop her hands from fidgeting with whatever she could find. Jakob glanced over at her in annoyance. She was sketching again- or trying to. Finding a pen and some napkins in the glove box, she decided to use them to take her mind off of things. In reality, she was just scribbling nonsensical things and clicking her pen.

 _ **Click! Click! Clic-**_

"Dani, I swear. If you click that pen _one_ more time," he warned gruffly. His sister's eyes snapped to his, clearly in a daze. Her mouth formed an O shape as she looked down at the pen in her hand and put it down in the cup holder.

"Sorry," she grimaced. "Just nervous I guess."

"You don't say," scoffed Jakob lightly. "You shouldn't be. It'll be fine. He'll be happy to see you."

Daniela switched her attention to looking out her window at the passing cars and road. She hummed slightly to herself- an old song her mom used to sing to her. It managed to calm her nerves. Her brother listened contently, smiling slightly. By the time they arrived at the prison, she felt almost ready to see her dad once again. They went through the usual process of going through security, signing in and receiving their Visitors badges.

Jakob rubbed his sister's shoulders in reassurance as they were led by a security guard into the meeting room. Daniela recognized the bland surroundings as she entered and made her way over to an empty stall.

She tucked a piece of brown hair behind her ear, ignoring the consistent tapping of her foot. Her attention snapped to her brother when she heard him clear his throat.

"Relax, yeah? It'll be fine." Daniela nodded in reply and twisted her head back towards the glass window. The tall, broad-shouldered figure of her father caught her eye. Lawrence's face filled with surprise for a brief second before quickly being replaced with a small smile.

The man let out a low grunt as he took the seat across from her and grabbed the nearby phone.

"Daniela," he greeted slowly. "I thought I wouldn't be seeing you again."

Daniela huffed a small laugh and shook her head. "You and me both. But recently, things have happened and I've thought- a _lot_ \- about what you did." Her clammy hand clutched the phone to her ear as her father listened, intrigued. She didn't miss the small glimmer of hope that showed in his green eyes. "And I decided, that I am ready to make amends."

Lawrence's face almost split down the middle from his grin. The man nodded and leaned his head forward slightly.

"You have no idea how much I've wanted to fix things between us. To explain everything I did. Why I was never there for you, even before I got locked up in here."

"You don't have to explain, Dad," disagreed Daniela with a shake of her head. "I know you did what you did for us. To provide and protect for us. And while the image of seeing you killing someone is burned into my brain, I... I'm willing to try and move past it."

"I love you all so much, baby girl," said Lawrence adamantly. Daniela felt tears spring to her eyes at the sound of the term of endearment her father had often said to her. "You, your brother, your mother- you were everything to me. And there was no way in hell, that I was letting that Milkovich prick lay a hand on any of you. No matter what the price."

"I know, Dad," nodded the girl, feeling a lot better. "I realize that now. I'm just sorry it took me so long for me to do this."

"No," refused Lawrence with a deep frown. "You have no reason to apologize. Even before I was in here, I was a shit father. I know I was. I was never there for you when you needed me. Hell, I don't think I ever even read you a damn bedtime story."

Lawrence shook his head again and looked down. He twitched his nose and sniffed. "I was never much of a father. To you or Jakob. It pisses me off that it took landing my ass in jail to finally realize that. Miraculously, I managed to fix things with your brother. And I'm more than ready to do the same with you. If you'll let me?"

By now, the tears were practically raining down Daniela's face. She could feel the thickness of snot built up in her nose and groaned internally. She hated when that happened.

"In case you didn't notice, Dad, that's why I'm here," she laughed softly. "I wanna get to know my dad."

"And I want to get to know my little baby girl," replied Lawrence with a smile. The two let the new easiness wash over them. Jakob, who had been quietly observing the altercation, felt a swell of emotion in his chest. He didn't show it of course. Daniela would never let him live it down.

"So," chirped Lawrence, his rich baritone voice warming immensely as Daniela wiped away the remaining tears. "Tell me all about you. I wanna know everything. Favorite color, favorite foods, hobbies. You still like drawing and painting? I remember you liking that as a little girl. Probably one of the only things I can remember, to be honest."

Daniela nodded at her father with a grin. "Yeah, I still love art."

The two continued to talk and get to know each other for as long as they were allowed. This happened to be only a short ten minutes. To Daniela, it felt surreal. She had never imagined she would be in this position right now, laughing as her father blissfully reminisced about things from his youth. She had managed to learn so much in those sparse minutes, and she knew there was much more to learn.

Jakob threw an arm around her shoulder as they walked through the parking lot to his truck.

"You did good, sis," he congratulated, dropping a kiss on the top of her head.

"Thanks. I feel a lot better now," replied Daniela. They reached the truck and hopped in.

/

"So I need to tell you something," blurted Jakob as they made their way home. Daniela raised a curious eyebrow at her brother.

"Did you get a girl pregnant?" She asked, crossing her arms in mock anger. "I thought you understood the concept of contraception." Her brother chuckled and shook his head.

"No, I didn't get a girl pregnant. But it is important."

" _Okay_. Spill the deets."

"I'm thinking about becoming a police officer," announced Jakob. He glanced quickly at his sister to see her eye's widened. "Well, actually, I'm more than thinking about becoming an officer. I already put in my papers for training and all that. I've been talking to Tony- you know how we were friends in high school- and he put in a good word. I start training next week."

Daniela nodded, impressed. "Wow. Look at you, getting your life together. I'm proud of you, big bro," she said, nudging his shoulder.

A grin lit up his face as he looked at her again. "Thanks, Dani."

The girl tuned the radio, finally settling on one both her and her brother liked. Settling back, she watched outside the window as the sky grew darker.

The sun had been completely down for almost an hour when they pulled up to the curb outside of their house. As Daniela moved to head inside, she felt a vibrating in her pocket and pulled out her phone. She saw that it was Fiona.

"Hey, Fi. How's it going?"

"Lip and Ian were arrested," answered the woman shortly.

"WHAT?"

/

Daniela marched into the police station, her blood boiling. Those stupid idiots. What were they thinking? Driving a stolen car. She honestly questioned the intelligence of both boys as she found her way to the front desk. Jakob trailed behind her cautiously.

"Ella!" Cried a light, happy voice from behind her. The girl's head whipped around to see Debbie sitting with a clearly distraught Fiona on a bench against the wall. Smiling, she made her way over.

"Hey Debs," she greeted, giving her a squeeze. She turned to the shaking Fiona and did the same.

"Thanks for coming, Ella, you really didn't have to. I just wanted to keep you updated," said Fiona.

"Oh please," waved off the teen. "I wanted to come. Besides, I need to give both of them an ass-whooping once they get out."

"Yeah, well me first," scoffed Fiona humorously. The woman's eyes switched to Jakob's and she nodded slightly.

"How are you going, Fiona?" Asked the young man in greeting.

"Well, as you can tell, pretty shit," shrugged the woman. Daniela looked between the two with a frown.

"Oh yeah. I forgot you two went to school together." She looked back to Fiona in worry. "Any news yet?"

"Not yet," answered Fiona, raking a hand through her unkempt hair. The woman sat back down and blew out a deep breath. Debbie grabbed her sister's hand comfortingly.

"No lattes or anything but they _did_ have hot chocolate for Debbie," announced an unfamiliar voice. Daniela turned to see a pretty blonde woman walking up to them, balancing three cups in her hands. She stared in surprise at the two new arrivals. Daniela did the same to her.

"Oh, hello," greeted the woman with a large smile. She handed off two of the cups before placing a manicured hand out. "I'm Jasmine. A friend of Fiona's."

"Daniela. Friend of Ian's. And Lip too," she added as an afterthought, not returning the woman's handshake. If Jasmine seemed put out in the slightest, she didn't show it and continued to smile. Daniela noticed the appraising looks between Jasmine and her brother with mild repulsion. Rolling her eyes, she took a seat next to Debbie.

"Thanks for this," said Fiona to her new friend. "And for driving, but you don't have to stay."

"It's cool," shrugged the blonde. "I'll hang for a bit."

Daniela's attention snapped to Tony as she saw him walk over before noticing them and making to turn away. This made her curious. It seemed she wasn't the only one who saw him as Fiona also stood up.

"Tony! Did you see them?" The officer faced the group with a grimace.

"They're still in the back."

"When can I see them?"

"If Lip's not charged as an adult-"

"Wait, _what_?" Asked Daniela in shock.

"-You can see them both in court tomorrow," finished Tony, placing both hands on his hips.

"Why would Lip be tried as an adult? He's 17," pointed out Daniela angrily. Tony tilted his head and explained, not wanting to enrage the group anymore.

"It's _because_ he's 17 and so close to the legal age. It doesn't help that he's had previous altercations with the cops before. They may charge him with felony grand theft auto."

"Holy shit," breathed the teen, turning away to pace. The thought of Lip possibly going to jail worried her more than she thought it would.

"There's no way Lip would steal a car, he's too smart- and Ian doesn't even drive!" Argued Fiona furiously. Daniela found herself agreeing with the flustered woman. They were smarter than that, even if sometimes she thought otherwise. This wasn't something either of them would do. Yet, here they were.

"If they didn't steal it-"

"They didn't steal it!" Refused the woman again, cutting off Tony.

"If they didn't then they have to tell the detectives who gave them the car and agree to testify. If they don't give up a name, Lip could do five years". Daniela felt her stomach drop at Tony's words.

Lip couldn't go to jail. He had so much potential. Plus, whether she wanted to admit it or not- she cared for him. Genuinely. Possibly even more than she thought she should. Hearing that Lip could do some serious time caused a deep frown to mar her face as she began to chew on her nails.

Tony gave the group one last sympathetic look before walking away. Fiona looked about ready to burst into tears but continued to hold it together. Daniela admired that.

She felt the warm hand of her brother touch her shoulder. "Maybe we should go home."

"No," she turned down quickly. "I'm staying."

"Ella, you really don't have to," argued Fiona lightly but she knew there was no point. The girl was stubborn and wouldn't take no for an answer. Jakob seemed to notice this too and nodded with a sigh.

Dropping his hand, he placed it in the pocket of his coat. "I'll go get us a hot drink."

Jasmine, perking up a little, smiled at him. "I'll show you."

Daniela watched her brother and the blonde walk off with an unimpressed look. She turned back to Fiona and Debbie, who had taken their seats once again.

"She's married you know?" Started the woman, drained. She raked both hands through her hair once again. Daniela noticed that she did that whenever she was stressed or upset. She had seen her do it a lot.

"I'll be sure to let him know," smirked Daniela. It quickly slipped away to be replaced with another serious look.

"Where the hell did they get the car from?" She whispered, more to herself than the others. However, she didn't miss the flash of emotion on Fiona's face and frowned.

"Fiona?" She asked to get the woman's attention. When her head snapped up to look at her, she continued. "Do you know something? About the stolen car?" Fiona chewed on her lip, a clear sign of nervousness.

" _Fiona_?" She asked again, this time more insistent. A few, long moments passed before Fiona finally sighed and nodded subtly.

"I think they got the car from Steve," she admitted in a hushed tone. Daniela honestly wasn't surprised with all the shady things she had learned about him and wondered why she hadn't already come to that conclusion. "He steals cars and sells them. I think he let Lip borrow one so they could go and look for Ian's real dad."

"Well then call Steve, get him down here to fix this. He's rich, he could pay off the cops no problem!" Daniela's voice raised higher and higher showing her growing frustration.

Fiona sucked her teeth and waved a hand. "I've tried! He's not answering his phone. Fucking asshole."

"Ian and Lip can't get charged for this," continued Daniela. "Ian won't be able to enlist and join the army like he's always wanted to. And Lip... Lip could go to jail. Which means he won't finish school and go to college." She shook her head at these thoughts. Ian not being able to enlist pained Daniela and she hoped that it wouldn't result in that. If there was one thing her best friend wanted more than anything, it was to join the army.

Fixing Fiona with a hard look, she leaned forward. "Call Steve again and get him down here."

The tired woman stared back at the teen in slight surprise. Sure, she had seen Daniela angry, but never like this. The stubbornness she showed for Ian was nothing new, however, she wasn't used to seeing that same emotion used for Lip. She had vaguely questioned when the notorious hatred between her and Lip had changed. She had seen the changes. Anybody who wasn't blind could.

Daniela let out a low, angry breath and stood up. She needed some fresh air.

Walking out to the front of the station, she vaguely wished of Ian handing her a beer or Lip handing her his cigarette to share. Either option would help her warm up in the freezing snow and also put her mind at ease.

She pulled out her phone, going through her contacts until she found the name she wanted. Pushing down the call button, she waited for them to pick up.

It took five rings before they did.

"Daniela?" Answered Steve, sounding distracted. The girl didn't waste any time.

"Ian and Lip were arrested because they were driving a stolen car. And yeah, I know you stole the car, _Jimbo_. So why don't you come down to the station and get them out because if you don't there's a very high chance that Lip will go to jail." The line was quiet for a few moments. Daniela tapped her foot into the soft snow impatiently.

"Fuck," was all Steve said. Daniela could practically hear him pacing. "I can't."

"Um, excuse me? Is it my shitty phone reception or did you just say you couldn't?"

"Look, Ella. I can't be there right now. I'm tied up with things," he explained in apology. Tony had threatened him. He couldn't see Fiona again. He had to leave.

Daniela let out a low, shaky breath. "I know you were lying about who you really were, Jimmy. But I still thought you were a somewhat decent guy who actually gave a fuck about Fiona and her family. I know you care about Fiona. So don't be an asshole, Jimmy and come fix this. You know Lip and Ian don't deserve this."

Steve was having a mental battle with himself. However, he knew the girl was right.

"Okay, I'll see what I can do." The relief that washed over Daniela was staggering.

"Thank you, Jimmy."

"Don't thank me until they're out," replied Steve. "You're not going to stop calling me Jimmy are you?" He asked lightly a beat later.

Daniela scoffed and shook her head. "Not a chance, Jimbo." She heard the low chuckle of Steve over the line.

"Goodbye, Daniela," he ended. The girl couldn't help but feel a certain finality to his goodbye, something that made her frown.

"Bye, Jimmy."

/

Daniela's eyelids were heavy as she sat on the seats along the wall. It was past midnight and she was still there. One hand lazily stroked the clothed legs of Debbie that rested on her lap. Both of them were falling asleep.

There had been no more word about Lip and Ian. Tony had basically avoided going anywhere near them, leaving them all to question what was happening. Daniela had managed to rope Jakob into getting any information out of Tony but had come up short. Now he was asleep in his own seat, soft snores eliciting from him.

Jasmine was the first to stand up, sighing. "It's almost 1. I gotta get going before Hal decides I'm having another affair." The woman bobbed down in front of Fiona. "Let me drive you home. You can get some sleep. And then come back first thing in the morning."

"Thanks. I'm gonna stay," turned down Fiona.

"You want me to take Debbie? She can sleep at our house tonight." The barely-awake girl shook her head.

"I wanna stay with Fiona."

"I'll give you a call tomorrow, make sure everything's okay," nodded Jasmine as she pulled on her jacket. She turned her head to look at Jakob, who had now woken up and winked before leaving.

Daniela watched her brother's eyes trail after her and stared at him unimpressed.

"You're not actually considering it are you?" She deadpanned. Jakob gave her a tired grin, shaking his head.

"We should get going too," he said, resting a hand on her arm. "It's getting late and we're both exhausted. You've had an emotional day already." Daniela went to refuse but Fiona cut her off gently.

"Go ahead, Ella. It's okay. I'll call you if anything happens." The girl still hesitated, dropping her eyes to Debbie who had drifted off. Biting her lip, she nodded. She dropped a kiss on Debbie's head and gave a hug to Fiona.

"Please don't forget to call," she mumbled into her neck. Fiona nodded as they pulled away.

Jakob threw his arm around the slumped frame of his sister, basically carrying her out of the station. Daniela was out by the time her head hit the back of the car seat.

/

The next day had come and Lip and Ian were still in jail. Fiona had texted her a little while after she had left saying that the two boys were moved downtown. Daniela had hoped Steve would come through and bail them out already.

After showering, Daniela had gone over to the Gallagher's. Veronica and Kev were there already, with Fiona filling them in on everything. Daniela agreed with Veronica when she said that they needed to hire a good lawyer to get the boys out.

Debbie had told her later on in private that she was going to go back to the North Side to see Steve's mother to look for him. Daniela had asked if she wanted her to come along but the young girl had declined.

Thus, Daniela was left with nothing more to do but to dwell on the well-beings of her two friends in jail. She thought about how they most likely stank and wondered if they met any interesting or creepy people in there.

It was around lunch when she decided she would go and tell Karen. The girl had no idea that Lip was in jail and Daniela figured she ought to know considering their relationship. Whatever it was.

She headed up the front steps and knocked on the door, waiting for Sheila to answer. The woman eventually did, offering her a warm smile.

"Daniela! It's lovely to see you."

"You too, Sheila. I just came to see Karen."

"Oh, yes. Come right in," ushered the woman, opening the door wider. Daniela took her shoes off and placed them in the bag before stepping inside.

"She's just down in the basement," directed Sheila, leading her past the living room. Daniela raised an eyebrow at a freshly bathed Frank sitting at the kitchen table eating lunch. She pondered whether or not to tell him that his sons were in jail but ultimately decided he would just congratulate them and move on.

Sheila guided her to the basement, with Daniela saying her thanks before going down. The loud pumping of heavy-metal music could be heard.

Daniela almost didn't recognize Karen when she first saw her. Lip had told her about a change in personality but this was wild. Gone was the blonde hair and sweetheart look. In its place was pitch black hair, dark black clothing, and a huge nose ring. She also spotted what looked to be a tattoo.

"Uh, Karen?" She said unsurely, eyes flickering around the room. It was completely trashed. Red spray-paint decorated the walls, all spelling out hateful words about her father.

The girl turned to give her an impatient look, which then morphed to confusion. She paused the music and eyed Daniela who stood at the bottom of the stairs.

"What do you want?"

Daniela pursed her lips. "Lip's in jail." Karen didn't react. Except for disinterest.

Rolling her eyes, she turned back around to cutting open a stuffed clown toy. "And?"

"Well," answered Daniela with her own confusion. "I thought I would let you know. Because you and Lip-"

"Me and Lip what?" Interrupted Karen, whirling her head around. "Fuck? Doesn't mean I have feelings or care for him. I don't know if you know this but I'm kind of a whore. I fuck a lot of people. And I care for none of them. Why would this be any different?" The girl's narrowed eyes traveled up and down Daniela. "Do you fuck him too?"

"What?" Daniela frowned. Karen rolled hers again and walked slowly towards her.

"Oh come on. I wouldn't be surprised if you have. Lip has a reputation too. I guess that's why things worked so well for us." She now stood toe to toe with Daniela. The brunette teen didn't waver from her spot but instead stared back at Karen with a tired look. "So have you?"

"No," answered Daniela shortly. The blonde smirked, her teeth showing.

"Do you want to?" Daniela stood there, calm and collected. However, inside her head, it was a different story. Did she want to? She had never thought about it before. But the rapid changes in their relationship and the small moments they continued to share that made her heart speed up a little, made her wonder.

Karen's smirk widened at the unanswered question. Daniela cleared her throat and crossed her arms.

"I didn't come here to talk about Lip. Well, sort of," she said in afterthought. "I thought I should just let you know. In case you did care." Saying what she had come to say, Daniela turned and took the steps back up, leaving Karen standing alone in her own thoughts once again.

* * *

Okay so turns out there's another chapter after this one. Whoops. Promise it won't take me long to get that one up but hint, hint- reviews always help!

No Lip in this chapter but that will all be remedied by next week.

 **REVIEW!**


	13. Father Frank, Full of Grace Pt2

**Chapter 13.**

I hope this chapter doesn't seem too rushed. I didn't want to keep dragging out Season 1. Hopefully, you enjoy.

Also, a LOT goes down in this one.

 _Special thanks to_ soccergurl382, Mrs. TylerLockwood, blueWren, ItsMalecNotLeviosA, daeb, cuteepiee1 and K920313!

 **Disclaimer** : I don't own Shameless.

* * *

Daniela stood out the front of the police station, impatiently chewing on her lip. She was flanked by the rest of the Gallaghers along with Veronica and Kev. Tony had called them letting them know that the charges had been dropped. Daniela had practically ran to the station when she found out.

A smile lit up her face as soon as she saw the head of her best friend and his brother make their way out of the building. Lip and Ian looked exhausted as they spotted their family waiting for them. Daniela didn't waste any time.

Quickly, she moved towards Ian, who looked at her with a grimace as he more than likely knew of his friend's worrying. The girl embraced him tightly, not letting go. She felt her friend's arms wrap around her in relief and happiness.

"I'm sorry." Daniela continued to hug him.

"You smell," she mumbled against his neck. She felt the low rumblings of Ian's laughs.

Daniela pulled back, her smile gone. In its place was deep anger. Ian cringed at what he knew was coming.

"You idiot!" She cried, hitting her fists against her chest. Ian took it, finding it slightly amusing. She pulled him into another hug. "Don't do something so fucking stupid again."

Ian laughed slightly and nodded into her neck. "Okay."

The girl pulled back, letting his sister finally hug him. Fiona rushed towards him as well, before also hitting him. Daniela grinned at it, turning her head to look at the other Gallagher boy.

Lip stood, staring down at Carl and Debbie who were both hugging a side of him. Veronica was talking to him, most likely chastising him. After the woman was finished, she stepped away, going over to talk to Ian. Daniela stepped forward and met Lip's blue eyes.

Neither really knew what to do. She stood with her hands in her pockets. He shot her a small smile, the smile widening when she returned it, shook her head and stepped closer.

She surprised both of them when she wrapped her arms around him in a hug, resting her head under his chin. She heard his sharp intake of breath before it was slowly released and he snaked his arms around her frame. They stayed like that for a few moments, not seeing the odd looks from Debbie and Carl.

Daniela finally pulled back and threw a few well-aimed punches at Lip's chest.

"The fuck?" He grunted, rubbing the tender spot. The whole moment was shattered. Daniela fixed him with an angry look.

"That's for getting arrested you idiot." Lip stared back at her strangely, his frown lessening. His mouth turned up in the corners. Daniela couldn't help her own smile, giving him another playful arm slap.

Fiona made her way over, going to hit Lip in the head. The boy ducked with a laugh before being pulled in by his sister. Daniela moved to stand next to Ian again and weaved an arm around his side, laying her head on his shoulder.

"You guys popped your cherry!" Proclaimed Kev jubilantly. Both boys laughed, agreeing. The group began making their way home, arms around each other.

"Hey did you guys see my dad in there?" Asked the man, causing the others to erupt into a laughing fit once again.

/

"Did you guys meet any strange people while you were in there?" Asked Daniela curiously. They were home now, things easing back to normal. She, along with Ian and Lip was relaxing in the boy's bedroom.

Ian frowned, taking a moment to think and laughed. "Well, there was this one huge guy with two nipple piercings and a bull ring." Lip made a noise of recognition, turning his head to look at them from his top bunk.

"Oh yeah. He was really into Ian. Kept flirting with him and sitting close to him."

"It was uncomfortable," grimaced Ian. Daniela laughed from her spot beside him. "And I remember him being interested in you too!" Lip grinned, shaking his head at his brother. He pulled out his phone and typed in a number.

The door then opened with Carl entering.

"They give you a cavity search?" Asked the boy casually.

"No we weren't there long enough," answered Lip. "It was probably on the menu, though." The call he was trying to put through went to voicemail. "Hey, Karen, it's me. Uh, call me back when you get this message?" Daniela looked down at her fingers resting in her lap. Thoughts filled her brain of her visit to Karen's house earlier that morning. The things the girl asked her sticking in her brain like glue.

"See anybody get shanked?"

"We were cuffed to a bench in a hallway most of the night, Carl," sighed Ian. He was clearly exhausted from his long night.

Fiona knocked on the door, coming in with fresh towels. She threw one each at her brothers.

"Clean towels. You both need showers, you're rank."

"I'll go first," said Lip, hopping down from his bed and heading out.

"Did they take your shoelaces and belts so you don't hang yourself?" Piped up a very curious Carl. Fiona threw him a disapproving look and sent him downstairs to help Veronica with dinner. Daniela, noticing that Ian and Fiona wanted a moment, quietly excused herself.

She moved downstairs to see Veronica buzzing around putting pots on the stove and preparing the food. The girl helped with a few things until Veronica said that it was all basically done. Satisfied, she headed back up the stairs to see Ian.

The room was empty when she entered, Ian most likely having gone to the bathroom. She laid herself out on the bed once again, propping her head up with Ian's pillows. She waited, picking at the bits of fluff on her jumper.

The door opened and closed again, the smell of cleanliness following. Daniela glanced casually at the door, quickly doing a double take at the sight of Lip. Not just Lip, though. Lip, wet, with only a towel wrapped around his waist.

She threw curses at her traitorous mind as she willingly looked him over. There was a stirring deep in her stomach when her eyes traveled over his arms and chest to his toned stomach. Daniela tried to ignore the heat that took over the back of her neck. Lip seemed to notice her gazing in that moment.

Fixing her with raised eyebrow, he smirked. "See something you like?"

Daniela's eyes snapped to his, embarrassed from being caught in the act. She turned her chin up in defense.

"Hardly," she retorted with a roll of her eyes. Lip gave her look that told her he didn't believe her. Not wanting to suffer any more jokes from him, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up.

"I'll just let you get changed," sighed the girl, making to move past him. She found her path was blocked. Lip watched her expression change from surprise to annoyance. His head loomed slightly over hers despite the fact they were almost the same height.

"You don't have to go," he said cheekily. Little drops of water fell down from his hair onto his chest. Daniela stared at them, fixated. Turning her attention back to Lip, she narrowed her eyes. If he wanted to play that game, she'd do it right back.

Daringly, Daniela stepped even closer, giving them little to no space in between. She lifted a hand to press gently against his warm chest, relishing when she heard Lip inhale sharply. Her hand began trailing ever so slowly along his front, up his shoulders to the side of his neck. Both of their eyes watching her every move. Her gaze snapped up to meet his own darkened ones.

It was static.

The feeling both excited and scared Daniela. The girl questioned her actions, not sure if she should step across that line. She found that she kind of wanted to.

Lip's eyelids were hooded as he watched her take her bottom lip in between her teeth. He felt her soft hand trail up his neck even further, resting at the base of his hair. Daniela teased the hair at the nape of his neck, winding it around her finger before placing her hand on the side of his head. With a hard shove, she knocked him sideways.

"Asshole."

Lip grunted as he was forced sideways. Daniela threw him a smirk, laughing to herself before winking and leaving the room. As the door closed behind her, he let out a long, deep breath.

"Fuck." What was he thinking? He loved Karen. He knew he did. So why was Daniela so alluring to him?

Turning to his drawers, he pulled the towel closer around his waist.

/

Daniela swirled some pasta around her fork before shoving it in her mouth. Veronica and Jasmine had cooked up a feast to celebrate Ian and Lip's release from jail. Fiona's new friend continued to be bubbly to Daniela, occasionally throwing in a question about Jakob.

The girl was amicable to her, mainly because she made a mean stir-fry and because she didn't want to spoil dinner. Her personality was way too bubbly for Daniela's liking and the fact that the woman was married and still wanting to get in with her brother rubbed her the wrong way. She hated cheaters.

Ian sat back in his chair, relaxed. A beer was in his hand as he and his friend talked and laughed. Eventually, the topic of Ian's father came up.

"So how did the search go?" Asked Daniela taking another bite of pasta. "You know before you got arrested."

Ian laughed but shrugged. "We found him."

"Really?" The girl's eyes were wide. Her friend nodded, his own gaze on the bottle in his hands.

"Yeah. Clayton. Lives in a big house on the other side of town with his wife and son," explained Ian. His voice lacked any emotion- something his friend picked up on.

"And how are you feeling now that you know?"

Ian sighed. "Like I don't really care. I mean, sure, I know who he is. That's great. But this here, Fiona, Lip, Debbie, Carl, Liam, Kev and V. You. You're my family. And I would rather be here than there with him."

Daniela listened intently, her heart swelling a little. It wasn't often that her friend would show so much emotion like this.

She reached out placing a hand on his and squeezed it, offering him a warm smile.

Moving on from the conversation, they turned back to the table, joining in on Veronica and Fiona's talk. Jasmine started talking to them about some sort of form when Lip stormed through the doorway and up the stairs. The room silenced as they stared after him. Daniela raised an eyebrow and glanced at Ian who was already up and following after his brother.

Leaving them to it, she took a swig of grape soda as Jasmine began a new topic.

Later on, as Daniela was getting ready to leave, she decided to go and say goodbye to Ian. He and Lip had stayed up in their room, most likely getting high. Not surprisingly, as soon as she stepped in, the distinct aroma of weed filled her nostrils.

Only a single light was on, the window open to help air out the room. Ian was already asleep when she got closer. Daniela, not wanting to wake him, turned back around to leave. She stopped when she saw Lip sitting, awake on his bed, clearly deep in thought. She wasn't even sure he noticed her come in.

Tentatively, Daniela approached him. She wasn't completely sure how she was going to keep things casual considering how their last interaction went.

He had noticed her as soon as she entered the room but couldn't work up the effort to say anything or bother looking at her. His mind was too full of thoughts of Karen and wondering about whether or not he had fucked things up for good.

Daniela came up beside him, peering up at his face. A joint hung from Lip's mouth as he finally turned to look at her. The girl was taken aback at the drained look in his eyes.

"No offense, but I'm not really in the mood for anything," he drawled lowly. Daniela pulled her head back.

"I wasn't planning on to. I only did that because you were being a cheeky asshole and didn't move," explained Daniela. She fidgeted with her hands. "I just wanted you to know, despite what you may think, I do care about you." she shrugged casually. "We're friends now. And I don't like seeing my friends hurt."

"I don't need you comforting me," frowned Lip somewhat angrily. The girl nodded back.

"I know. I didn't come here to. I came to put the offer out. If you ever need to talk to someone besides Ian, you can always come to me." Daniela watched his face for any reaction. Lip's clenched jaw slowly began to relax. Finally, he nodded shortly.

Knowing that that was all she was going to get out of him, she bid her goodbye and left.

/

"Daniela!" Called her boss' voice. "Can you come unload these boxes for me?" The girl made her way to the back where the truck was waiting. Linda stood beside the boxes, a checklist in hand.

As the girl began unloading the boxes, Linda checked everything off, making sure all the orders were there.

"I would help," began Linda. "But I'm pregnant."

The teen smiled kindly at her boss. "Congratulations."

"Thanks, Daniela. Although not _all_ of us may think the same thing." The woman threw a not so subtle look at her husband who was tending the cash register and flicking through a magazine.

Daniela couldn't help but feel a little sorry for Linda. It wasn't entirely her fault that her marriage was in shambles. Still, the girl thought that her boss would still be at least somewhat enthusiastic about the new baby.

She cut open the boxes before stocking the shelves, placing the extras in the back storeroom. The bell above the door chimed as Lip walked in. The boy nodded at her as he walked up to Kash at the register.

"Smokes?" Kash sighed and got them, not even bothering to ask for I.D. Daniela walked to stand beside Lip.

"How are you feeling today?" She asked, genuinely interested.

"Better," he shrugged. "I'm going to see Karen, so we can sort it out." The girl barely held back her eye roll.

Honestly, it was futile. The two of them didn't work. At least not how Lip wanted them to. They each had different ideas about what their relationship was and neither were in the position to make compromises. It annoyed Daniela, who thought that he should stop trying when Karen won't even put in the effort.

Nevertheless, Daniela nodded. "Sounds good. Good luck." With that she walked back to the shelves, picking up the boxes of extras.

/

Daniela sat at her kitchen table, textbook splayed out in front of her. She had homework, a lot of it. She had been so caught up in Ian and Lip's arrest that she had forgotten to complete an essay on the French Revolution.

After she finished work, she had gone to see her mother. Then her and Jakob had gotten take-out for dinner. He had just left on a 'hot date' as he put it, leaving Daniela to the peaceful silence. That silence was shattered around 7pm.

 ** _Knock-knock!_**

Came the first two at the door. When Daniela didn't answer straight away, they became more insistent. By the time she got to the door, they were practically banging it down.

"Fuck, I'm coming!" She yelled angrily, twisting open the door. She glared at Lip who was basically vibrating with anger. She didn't miss his glassy eyes.

"Ian's at work," was all he said before she stepped aside to let him stumble in. Daniela led him into the lounge room, warily eyeing him as he clenched and unclenched his jaw, his hands in solid fists. She was almost afraid he was going to break something.

"What happened?" Lip didn't say anything. Instead, he just paced and paced. Back and forth. He was shaking. Not in a scared way, in a furious way. This was bad.

"You know if you keep going like that, you're gonna wear a hole in the floor. And you'll have to pay for it," commented Daniela lightly, hoping he would ease up a little. He didn't.

"Lip?" She asked again, more insistently. "What happened?"

"Fucking Frank," he swore heatedly to himself. "Fucking Karen." Daniela was still confused.

"What did Frank do?" The boy wiped a hand over his nose, sniffing. At the mention of his father's name he snapped. His already-bloody fist connected hard with the wall.

"Fuck!" Yelled Daniela. Lip leaned his forehead against the wall, his fist still resting in the imprint it made. The girl warily made her way towards him.

"Hey," she said, softly this time. She laid a hand on his shoulder. "Are you going to talk to me about it or just keep punching holes in my walls? Because if it's the latter, I'm gonna need you to leave." Her nose twitched at the smell of alcohol on him.

Twisting him around, she grabbed his face between her hands to observe him. "Are you drunk?" Lip scoffed and shook his head.

"Not yet. I'm getting there." Daniela rubbed her fingers over his cheeks, trying to gain his attention.

"Tell me what happened." The boy shook his head, the anger flowing back.

"Frank fucked Karen," he stated. Daniela's eyes bulged. "Yeah, can you believe it? Frank and Karen? I mean, I knew she was a whore but fuck- _Frank_?" He shoved the palms of his hands into his eyes and let out a groan of frustration.

"Holy shit," breathed Daniela, not really sure what to say. She couldn't deny the burning anger that built up in her own stomach. At both Frank and Karen.

The girl raked a hand through her hair and sighed.

"You're right," she nodded. Lip frowned at her. "We need to get you drunk."

/

A bottle of whiskey later saw Lip happily intoxicated. Daniela less so, as she had made it her job to supervise and make sure that he didn't get too out of hand. She had also washed and bandaged his hand as well as possible with what she had.

They were currently splayed out on her sofa. His legs were splayed out over her lap as his head rested against the arm of the seat. Daniela slumped in her own position, feet resting on the small coffee table.

"What is it you saw in Karen?" Questioned Daniela, tilting her head at the boy. His expression became more solemn as he thought it over.

"We both loved to fuck. She was smart, beautiful, a bitch. I liked it," he answered.

"I never liked her," admitted the girl. Lip scoffed a laugh.

"I would say the feelings are mutual between you two." He dropped his grin, his face taking on a more pensive look. "The worst part is I was falling in love with her."

The girl shuffled her feet around on the table. "What are you going to do now?"

"I don't know. Try and forget about her and move on." Daniela was silent at this revelation. Instead, she gestured at the empty bottle on the table.

"All out. I'll go get another drink." She didn't have any more hard liquor left, just beers. They were good enough, now that Lip was pleasantly buzzed.

Lip watched her leave, putting his legs on the floor so she could get up. He leaned his elbows on his knees, resting his head in his hands. Daniela was being so good to him. He found he was extremely thankful he had her.

He thought of the moment they shared in his bedroom, in the kitchen, outside the police station, in the kitchen, all the shit with Monica. The girl had always been there.

At first, he found her constant help to be a nuisance, but over time he grew to accept it. Lip enjoyed her being around. He had learned a lot of things about her during their new relationship. One of them being that she was as sly as she was kind and generous. The situation the day before being evidence enough.

"Here you go," announced Daniela, walking back in with two beers. She offered one out to him, waiting till he took it before she sat back down beside him. The girl took a large swig, waiting for him to do the same. But he didn't. He twisted it around in his hand before finally placing it down on the table.

"You okay?" She asked with a frown. "You feeling sick? I'll go get a bucket."

"No."

Daniela made to get up again but Lip reached an arm out to grasp her own, stopping her. The girl eyed his hand curiously. Lip trailed his hand slowly down her arm to rest around her wrist. His electric blue eyes glued to her own warm hazel ones.

Daniela felt her heartbeat pick up as Lip moved his other arm out to clasp around her other wrist. She waited, intrigued to see what he would do next.

Gently, he pulled her down towards him. Her legs hit the couch, making her place them up on either side of his thighs. Her breath was ragged now as she watched him. Lip relished at her reactions, loving it all.

One hand moved to the base of her neck, pulling her more close to his own. Daniela thought about pulling away before quickly ending that train of thought. She wasn't thinking. They had completely thrown caution to the wind. That's what made this feel so good.

Her mouth was positioned directly above his. Lip's hazy eyes searched her own, ultimately deciding to take the plunge.

Their lips connected, lightly at first, testing out how it felt, before becoming gradually more heated. The kiss grew more insistent, their mouths working together perfectly. It was awkward and uncoordinated at first until they worked out a happy medium.

Daniela's hand raked through his hair, dragging his head higher up. Lip's own hands worked their way over the curves of her body, resting at the hem of her shirt. She pressed her chest as close as she could to his own, wanting to be as close as possible. Her teeth lightly caught on to his lower lip, tugging on it a little before fully connecting their mouths together once again.

Lip tugged at the bottom of her shirt. Daniela unwound her arms from around his neck and pulled away long enough for him to hastily remove the clothing. It was her turn to remove his.

She tugged it over his head before dipping her head into his neck, peppering his neck and collarbone with kisses. When she licked at a certain spot near the bottom of his ear, he let out a small groan.

Smirking against the skin, Daniela focused all of her attention there until Lip pulled her back to his mouth quickly.

His hands expertly worked at the buttons on her jeans at the same time, as she did the same for him. For the two of them, it was euphoria.

Until reality came crashing down.

"Karen," moaned Lip in a husky breath. Suddenly the fog cleared for Daniela as she pulled away. Lip, realizing his mistake, froze. They both stared at each other, the sad realization settling in.

He was still in love with Karen.

Daniela awkwardly raised from her position, bending over to get both of their shirts. As she began re-doing the buttons on her jeans, Lip reached out a hand.

"Wait," he said. "I didn't mean it." Daniela gave him a sad look. They both knew it was a lie. Defeated, Lip took his hand back and wiped a hand over his face in frustration.

"I guess I should leave." He stood up, only to remember that he was indeed drunk, and nearly toppled over. Daniela steadied him, letting him use her body to support himself.

"You're drunk," assessed Daniela rather obviously, not making eye contact. "You don't have to go." The boy gave her a weird look, ready to shoot her down. "If you go home drunk, you'll probably have to explain everything to your family."

Knowing she had a point, Lip agreed silently. No doubt Fiona- if she decided to not go with Steve- or Ian would ask. He didn't feel like telling them. Not tonight anyway.

"You can stay here tonight," said the girl, falling back into the role of 'helpful friend' instead of whatever it was they were just doing. "Plus, it's nice and quiet. My brother won't be back tonight so it'll be fine." Lip was genuinely taken aback by her kindness despite the fact he had just moaned another girl's name while they were in the process of having sex.

Taking his hand, she led him up the stairs into Jakob's bedroom.

"You know if you wanted me in your room all you had to do was ask," joked Lip half-heartedly, his words slurring slightly. Daniela laughed quietly to herself and shook her head.

"It's not my room you idiot. It's my brother's. He won't even notice you were in here." Now that Lip looked around the room, he noticed it didn't seem like it would be her room. It was barely decorated, screaming that it was only ever used as a place to sleep and that was all.

Daniela guided him onto the bed, pulling back the covers. She left before returning with a bin.

"Just in case," she said. Lip could feel himself drifting off and laid back. Once she was sure he was fine, Daniela turned to leave.

"Wait," called Lip. She swiveled her head to look over her shoulder curiously. "Stay."

The girl chewed on her lip, deciding whether or not too. They had already gone too far, crossing that invisible line between friends and something more.

Shrugging, she figured she would allow herself this night. The boy tugged her hand until she was under the covers with him. He pulled her flush against him, enjoying the feeling of her against him.

Placing a hand under her chin, he tilted her head up to place a light kiss on the corner of her mouth. Dropping her chin, he rested his head against the pillows, feeling himself quickly fade asleep.

/

When Daniela woke the next morning, the bed beside her was cold. She couldn't help the disappointment she felt.

Rising out of bed, she stretched. She began re-making the bed before going downstairs to clean up any mess her and Lip may have caused. After that was done, she took a good long shower.

Daniela let the scalding hot water rush over her, giving her tanned skin a pink color. Things with Lip had escalated further than she thought it ever would. The scariest part for Daniela was that she enjoyed it. It was exciting and fulfilling.

She could still feel his burning touch on her skin.

Before then, the thought of anything like that happening between them had seemed ludicrous. However, with Lip now ready to begin letting Karen go, things were starting to look up. Daniela ignored the small tingle of hope.

Once she was clean and clothed, she made her way to the Gallagher house, secretly wanting to see Lip once again. She felt silly. Like a little schoolgirl that had a crush on the cute boy in her class. She didn't have a crush. Definitely not. She was more level-headed than that.

Entering the kitchen, Ian, and his three younger siblings were in the middle of breakfast. They all cheerfully said their 'hellos'. Daniela took a seat beside Ian, pouring herself a glass of orange juice.

"How was your night?" Asked Ian conversationally, his voice still full of sleep.

His friend shrugged in response. "Uneventful. Just did some homework and then slept." She made sure to not mention the part where she almost had sex with her best friend's brother. Definitely not something to bring up over breakfast. Or ever.

Ian nodded, biting into his toast. "Have you heard from Lip at all? He didn't come home last night."

"Mm, nope. Sorry," responded Daniela easily. She was a rather convincing liar.

At that moment, the back door opened with Lip entering, Karen- much to Daniela's surprise and annoyance- following behind him.

"Hey," greeted Ian, looking at the two. "Where have you been?" Lip shrugged and held up a paper bag.

"We went to get breakfast." Daniela's stomach dropped as she observed the pair standing close and leaning on each other. They had made up.

She nearly vomited her orange juice back up.

Lip's eyes met hers. Did he even remember what happened last night? Her attention was pulled away from him to Karen when she said her name.

"I just wanted to apologize. For being a bitch to you the other day, and saying all that stuff." Daniela put on a fake smile. Lip frowned, looking back and forth between the two.

"That's okay, Karen. I understand." But she didn't understand. Why had Lip gone back to Karen when he told her he would do the opposite? More importantly, why did this affect her so much?

Clearing her throat, she downed the remnants of her glass in a record speed and stood up.

"Uh, I just remembered I'm going to see my Mom," she lied. "Jakob's waiting for me at home." Both Ian and Lip eyed her abrupt departure suspiciously. The latter knowing immediately that she was lying because her brother wasn't at all home.

Bidding a hasty goodbye, Daniela left, welcoming the sharp cold that hit her as she stepped out. Moments later, she heard footsteps following after her.

"Daniela!" Called Lip. She slowed, not wanting to turn around but not wanting to be a child about it. She cast a look over her shoulder. Lip stood, slightly flustered.

"I just wanted to say thanks." Daniela scoffed instantly. She couldn't help it.

Lip continued to explain, trying to be as gentle as possible. "Karen called me this morning, asking to talk. I couldn't say no." Daniela shook her head, not interested in hearing anymore.

As she began walking again, she heard him call out.

"We're still friends right?" This time she turned to look at him fully. She wondered if he was joking. Pursing her lips, she shook her head and laughed.

"Yeah," she confirmed after a few long, tense moments. "We're still friends." Clenching her jaw, she turned back around, storming away before he could talk to her again.

Was she surprised? Sadly, no. However, she did now know one thing.

She was an idiot. An absolute idiot.

* * *

It's done! Oh my god. This was so frickin' long!

How was it? I'm nervous. Let me know in a _review_ , hint, hint...

 **Next chapter, Season 2!**

 **REVIEW!**


	14. Summertime

**Chapter 14.**

SORRY! Let me just explain that I've been preparing for exams and just finished them today meaning that I am now free to put this out. Yaaay! I would really like to thank all of you who left a review for last chapter. It was the most so far and it felt really good and made me want to get back to you all even faster.

Enjoy!

Special thanks to vany, x NikiSt x , soccergurl382, blue Wren, ItsMalecNotLeviosA, littlelovelylottie, guest, Spencee98, gracious dweeb, annechou59, lostboysgirl18, CCL, kikip98, Shorte-J, AGingerKitten, kimboik, Starbucksluv, TheShastaMasta and bvblover1230!

Holy fuck that's a lot. **THANK YOU!**

 **Disclaimer** : I don't own Shameless.

* * *

Daniela strolled into the Gallagher residence, a cheerful smile slapped on her face. Not only had summer holidays just begun, but she had finally received her grades for the year. Needless to say, she was ecstatic.

She whipped up the stairs, ruffling Carl's hair on the way to the boys' room. The door was already open when she entered, with the two eldest boys sprawled out on their beds as per usual. The windows were wide open as the weather had finally begun heating up; another thing that delighted Daniela.

Ian turned his head to look at her, smiling in greeting. It was then replaced with a frown when he saw her open up their drawers and dig through them.

"Uh, what are you doing?"

With a satisfied sigh, Daniela brought her hand out holding one of Lip's nicer shirts before grabbing some jeans. She practically skipped over to the teen's bunk, dumping the clothing on him unceremoniously.

"Put this on," she ordered firmly, ignoring his curious look. Lip held the shirt up above his face to inspect it.

Frowning, he sat up on the bed. He couldn't help but notice the bright smile she wore. "Why?"

Daniela rolled her eyes, her smile still permanent. She placed her hands on her hips and watched him patiently. "I'm taking you out."

Lip's eyebrows hiked up. On the other side of the room, Ian's did the same.

"Why?" Lip asked again.

"I got my results back for the Physics exam," began Daniela slowly and suddenly Lip's interest piqued.

She had come a long way from when he had started tutoring her. Lip honestly thought it couldn't be done. Yet, by some miracle, she began to pick up on the Science more and more. "I got a B!" Exclaimed Daniela, throwing her arms up in the air.

Ian let out a whoop of cheer as he jumped up from his bed to hug his best friend.

"Congrats, Ella!"

"Thank you," blushed the girl. She turned her head back to Lip who had dropped down from his bunk to stand in front of her. He wore a smile and hugged her quickly.

"Hell yeah! Congratulations," cheered Lip. Daniela chewed on her lip, feeling the wave of accomplishment roll over her. "I knew you could do it."

Daniela shook her head. "Not without you." Realizing how differently that statement could be taken, she grabbed the clothes off of his bed and shoved them into his chest.

"Which is why I'm taking you out. To say thank you."

Lip stared down at her, eyes flicking over her face. His mouth opened to speak but stopped when the girl held up a hand.

"It's not up for negotiation, Phillip. So hurry up and get changed." With one last look, she made her exit, giving him some privacy to get changed.

Once she left the room, Lip glanced at his brother with a raised eyebrow. Ian just shrugged, smirking slightly.

/

Daniela chewed on the straw of her milkshake. She didn't want to admit it but nerves had piled up in her stomach. She wouldn't say it was butterflies- God no! Rather, it was the fact that she and Lip were at a sit-down dinner- well not really. They were at a small diner albeit the best one on the South Side.

Still, the idea that it was just going to be the two of them was something that had slipped her mind when she came up with the plan. This was to be her opportunity to thank Lip for all the help. Yet somehow it felt more like she had trapped herself in an awkward situation.

Neither had really brought up what happened between them almost three months ago. Instead, they had glided over it, burying it in the past. Well, at least, she tried to. Daniela wasn't going to lie and say it was an easy thing to do.

Lip and Karen had rekindled their relationship; something that affected the girl more than she thought it would. Still, she digressed and slid back into the position of a good friend.

It didn't stop the insistent thoughts that would slip to the forefront of Daniela's mind. It had happened once in Physics class when they were doing an experiment in teams. Lip had been in hers when the images sprung to mind, causing her to turn a deep shade of red.

It unsettled her.

This was the first time in a long time that the pair had actually hung out- apart from the tutoring lessons. The school work had been a happy distraction for them but now they didn't have that. Tonight it was just the two of them.

Lip read over the menu, a slight crease in his forehead. Daniela, already knowing what she wanted, took the time to admire how well he scrubbed up. Lip hadn't gone all out. But the girl definitely took notice of how well he wore the plain white dress shirt and jeans. Her eyes traveled across his arms and over his chest.

Realizing she was staring rather obviously, Daniela coughed and leaned her forearms atop the table.

"The steak here is really good," she piped up, grabbing his attention. Lip looked up from his menu and nodded.

"You been here before?"

This time she nodded. "Simon brought me here a few weeks ago." At the mention of the other boy, Lip felt a tug of annoyance. Daniela had gone out on a few more dates with Simon over the past few months but nothing between them was really official. She found that she enjoyed the other boy's company.

The pair were saved from the slight tension by the waitress asking for their orders.

"The cheeseburger with extra pickles and fries please," ordered Daniela.

"I'll have the steak and wedges, thanks," finished Lip. The waitress nodded, collecting their menus and leaving them alone once again.

"You know you didn't have to do this right?" Began Lip once she was gone.

"I wanted to," shrugged Daniela, toying with her sleeve. "You deserve it for managing to put up with me and pulling off a miracle."

He waved the praise off casually and took a sip of water. The girl raised an eyebrow at him.

"You're awfully humble," she commented humorously. Lip chuckled to himself and leaned back in his chair. "I was expecting your head to inflate from all this praise."

He rolled his eyes in response, a slight smirk on his face. "Well, it is well deserved. You weren't lying when you said it was a miracle," he placed a hand on his chest.

"I mean I honestly thought all of my hard work and efforts was in vain. But true enough, I pulled off my magic." Lip smirked at her. "Who knows what you'd do without me. You were _terrible_ , I honestly thought it couldn't be don-"

Daniela scrunched up a napkin and threw it at his face, catching him in the eye.

"Okay, that's enough now," she laughed. "What are your plans for the summer?"

Lip contemplated it for a few moments, throwing another shrug once again.

"Me and Kev were gonna fire up the ol' ice-cream truck again. You know the one?" She did. She remembered him and Kev driving around in it the previous summers.

"Aside from that, I've been managing a few guys in the fight clubs." Daniela's eyes widened at that one.

"What for?" She questioned curiously.

"I have a few guys who fight and I make money off of the bets placed on them. Well, that's if they win. It's quite lucrative. You should come to one, Ian does sometimes." She tilted her head, biting down her lip.

"Sure, why not. Let me know when the next one is."

"Will do," agreed a smiling Lip. He flicked his head at her. "What about you?"

"Oh," she fidgeted with her napkin. "Um, well I was thinking of going to this art thing in the city. It's just a meet up for young artists to network with each other. Not that I'd ever consider myself an artist. I thought it would be a good experience," answered Daniela hesitantly. Lip assessed her with a nod.

"From what I've seen, you're pretty good." The girl crawled into herself a little from the praise. She was still harnessing her skills.

She quirked an eyebrow at him. "You've seen my stuff?"

Lip shrugged uncomfortably and nodded. "Yeah, sometimes when I pass the Art room I see you working on some pieces or I see them on the walls."

Their conversation was interrupted once again by the waitress carrying their food. She placed the plates down on the table and left Daniela and Lip to dig into their meal.

/

 **ONE WEEK LATER**

"Holy shit!" Cursed Daniela with a wince. Her hands rested on her cheeks, her fingers covering her eyes slightly. The abandoned building they all stood in was only illuminated by the dingy yellow ceiling lights. Cheers and bets rang out around her as all eyes stayed glued on the two men brawling in the middle of the circle.

Lip took another stiff punch to the cheek eliciting deep hisses from Daniela, Ian, and Mandy. The guy he was fighting was much larger, managing to make Lip look like a stick in comparison.

"Come on, Lip!" Yelled Ian to his brother in encouragement. Daniela stood quietly, taking everything in. The energy in the air tickled the hairs on her arms and back of her neck.

She took a swig from her beer and watched as Lip tried-and-failed- to throw a hit back. In retaliation, the other guy grabbed him by the head, driving his knees into Lip's stomach leaving him winded. He stumbled backward into them with Ian catching him.

"Kick him back," ordered Ian. "You're punching like a fag." He shoved him back into the middle as the cheers rang out even louder around them. The other guy grabbed him around the waist, hoisting him up to slam him down on his back.

"Oh!" Cried out Daniela at how painful it looked. The other guy was now on top, laying into Lip.

The referee clanged the bell, signaling the end of Round 1. Lip was let up and headed back to his corner taking a seat on a wooden crate in front of the trio.

"Hey Mandy," he greeted casually. She had shown up halfway through the round. The Milkovich girl smirked and waved.

"You know you're supposed to hit him back right?" Joked Ian, pulling out a rag to wipe the blood and sweat off of Lip's face.

"Fuck that kid hits hard," winced Lip as he tilted his head back. Daniela stared down at him with crossed arms.

"Yeah no shit. Look at him, he's huge," she gestured with her hand to the other guy's corner.

"Yeah well I didn't think he'd be able to punch me with his _foot_. He kicked the top of my head."

Daniela glanced across again to Lip's opponent. She froze when she saw the guy's eyes were also on her. His eyes looked over her slowly as his coach yelled words in his ear. The guy threw her a small smirk causing Daniela to turn back to her friends quickly, her cheeks pink.

Lip watched with a weird look, feeling his jaw clench slightly. Ian pulled his attention away and grabbed his face.

"You wanna throw in the towel?" He asked.

Lip laughed and shook his head. "I would if I was smart."

The referee rang the bell again, signaling the start of the next round. Lip walked to the middle quickly managing to catch the guy with a punch to the cheek.

"Woo!" Cheered the three of them from the corner. However, their cheers quickly turned to winces when Lip suffered another hard hit.

/

"We make anything on my fight?" Asked Lip, taking a cigarette out of his pocket.

"Nobody wanted the odds," shook Ian.

"Well then what did you put on it?"

"What, on the fight you _lost_?" Laughed Ian and Mandy. "Nada. Fraternal loyalty doesn't extend to stupidity."

Lip scoffed a laugh and turned his attention to Daniela. "What about you?"

The girl scoffed and shook her head no. "No chance I was losing my hard-earned money," she grinned. Lip shoved her with Daniela doing it back until it was a shoving war.

"Calm down, kiddies," scolded Ian playfully behind them. Daniela laughed, slinging her arms around the neck of her friend and hopping on his back. Ian carried her as Lip asked Mandy when Mickey was getting out soon. Daniela could feel Ian's body shake in anticipation for the Milkovich's release.

"In about a week or so," answered Mandy. "If he doesn't stab anybody else."

"You gotta be looking forward to having Mickey home again," wondered Lip, taking a puff of his cigarette. Daniela noticed the large bruise on his cheek and winced. It looked painful.

She flicked Ian's ear when Lip asked the question even though it was intended for Mandy. Ian rolled his eyes and purposely jostled his back, almost dropping his friend.

"Rude," deadpanned Daniela after letting out a shriek. Her friend sent a smirk over his shoulder but continued to give her a piggy-back ride.

When they reached the main road, Lip pulled out a stack of bills and handed them to Ian.

"Hey, I wanna stage another fight next week." He handed the bills to Ian. "Go around to the dojos, round up some more scrappers."

"Sure," nodded Ian pocketing the cash. "Where are you going?"

Lip had already begun walking off. "Karen's," he stated. Daniela fought the urge to roll her eyes.

"Thought you gave up on that!" Yelled back his brother, clearly not impressed. He had been pissed at Karen when he found out that she had had sex with Frank. From then on, he had been amicable to the blonde but only for his brother.

" _Karen Jackson_?" Critiqued Mandy with a smirk. "After that thing with your dad?" Daniela stayed quiet, slowly climbing down Ian's back.

"I'm sneaking antibiotics into his toothpaste, just in case," he told them.

/

"Good morning, brother," greeted Daniela as she walked into the kitchen the next morning. Jakob stood leaning against the kitchen sink, a coffee cup in hand.

"Good morning, munchkin," he replied causing the girl to scoff. She made herself a bowl of cereal and plopped down on a seat at the table. As she heaped spoonful's into her mouth, Daniela noticed her brother's attire.

"What are you wearing?" Jakob glanced down at himself.

"Oh, this is the training uniform. We're doing some physical testing today," he explained happily. "I'm supposed to be catching a ride with Tony."

"Well, where is he?" Frowned his sister. The man cocked his head towards the kitchen window.

"Still trying to worm his way into Fiona's heart," he laughed sipping at his coffee. Daniela shook her head at the thought of the man.

"We both know that's not going to happen."

"Yeah, tell that to him. I swear all he talks about is her and 'that asshole Steve'." Daniela's eyes lowered to her bowl of cereal at the mention of Jimmy-Steve. He seemed to have dropped off the face of the Earth way back when the boys were arrested.

Jakob moved over to the window and looked out.

"Looks like he's all done. See you later, squirt." As the man passed, he ruffled her hair making her growl.

Once the door closed, Daniela pondered on what she was going to do that day. She had a few hours to kill before she had to go to work. Ian was working, Debbie was running an illegal day care that she wasn't really up to helping with today, and her and Jakob were already planning on going to see her Mom later that night.

That left Lip.

Sighing, she cleaned up, threw on some shades before making her way to the Gallagher house. As she walked past Kev and Veronica's house, Daniela noticed that Lip was already there. Kev was reclined in a garden chair as Ethel did some gardening.

"The tomatoes look great, Ethel," commented Daniela, walking towards them. The young girl looked up from her spot and dirt and smiled angelically.

"Thanks, Daniela. It's a special fertilizer," explained Ethel before going back to her work. Kev peered up at her through his sunglasses and grinned.

"How's it going, Ella?" She shrugged, shoving her hands in the back pockets of her shorts.

"Nothing much. I have a few hours to kill and I'm bored shitless. Was wondering if you guys were doing anything interesting."

Kev nodded in understanding and perked up in his seat. "Well, today's your lucky day, D. Because Lip and I are fixing up the truck today. You're welcome to join us." Daniela nodded happily, looking between Kev and Lip.

The older man rubbed his hands together in anticipation and stood up.

"Let's go!"

/

"Ta-da!" Grinned Kev as he and Lip pulled off the plastic tarp. The truck looked like it had definitely seen better days.

"You try starting this thing since last summer?" Asked Lip, walking around to inspect all sides of it. Daniela wiped a finger across the hood and pulled it away to look at the thick layer of dust.

"Nope," answered Kev.

"How's the crop coming?"

"It's almost harvest time." Daniela walked to the door and climbed the first step to peer inside.

"Oh hey," called out Kev. "Careful, I have to chase the rats out of the coolers." Instantly, she was a meter away from the truck, a grimace marring her face. Both Lip and Kev laughed at her.

"Oh shut up," she said flipping both of them off. Wiping her hands on her shorts, she headed over to Lip who was looking over the engine.

"You know anything about them?" He asked absently, sticking his hand in to move something around.

"Not really," admitted Daniela. "I mean, my dad and brother are Einstein's when it comes to this stuff but I never really hung around the shop much."

Lip nodded along, listening while he tried to get the engine going.

"Okay, well do you at least know your tools?" When she nodded, he pointed towards Kev's truck. "There's a toolbox in the back." Daniela moved from her spot to pull it out of the truck and over to Lip. He glanced over his shoulder and gestured his head at it.

"Pass me a wrench."

"Can't you get your own tools?" Asked Daniela, annoyed. Lip stopped to turn and look at her.

"Do you wanna help or not?" She rolled her eyes but passed the wrench to him anyway.

It went like that for half-an-hour until Daniela's legs got sore from standing. To fix the problem, she found a bucket and moved it beside the tools. Lip fixed her with an unimpressed look when she sat down.

Kev eventually took off back to work, leaving the two- well one- to work.

"Flathead," droned Lip holding his hand out. Daniela passed it over, shuffling her feet in the dirt to make a dirt cloud.

"How did you learn about all of this?" She pondered, getting bored. Lip shrugged.

"I read books about it and just played around with a few engines to understand them." Daniela nodded, her question answered.

The sun continued to beat down on them, tanning her arms and legs. Even though she wasn't doing much, Daniela felt the beads of sweat on her body.

"Fuck it's hot," she commented, fanning herself with her hand. She looked for something better to fan herself with, coming back with a chunk of cardboard.

Plopping herself back down on her bucket, Daniela began to cool herself down.

"Seriously?" Asked Lip skeptically, taking a break. "You're not even doing anything."

"Not true!" She argued back. "I am a _great_ assistant." Lip laughed quietly and shook his head. Daniela turned the cardboard to fan him instead. "See?"

Lip nodded, enjoying the breeze. He tugged at the hem of his shirt and pulled it off. It caught Daniela off guard, making her stop her fanning.

Her mind told her to get a grip. This sight was nothing new to her.

Lip acted casual as ever heading back to his work. Daniela watched him and began fanning herself once again, trying to banish the heat in her cheeks that was most definitely not from the sun.

Nearly an hour later Lip was confident that he had fixed the engine. He tossed the keys towards Daniela, telling her to start it up.

She climbed in and turned it on, pumping on the gas to rev it up. After a few pumps, the engine roared to life. Lip let out a whoop of happiness and closed the hood to beat on it.

Daniela climbed out and stood beside him admiring their hard work. Well, Lip's.

"Not bad. We make a great team," grinned the girl. Lip scoffed in good humor.

"I'm pretty sure I did all the work."

"Excuse me, I handed you tools, I fanned you to keep you cool," listed Daniela on her fingers. She grabbed a rag from atop the tools and twisted it. Lip seemed to realize what she was going to do and held his hands up.

"Don't." Daniela laughed evilly and snapped it out at him, managing to catch him on the thigh. Lip jumped back and grabbed a second rag.

"You have no idea what you just did," he laughed. Daniela smirked and gestured for him to bring it. He snapped his rag at her but she managed to dodge it at the last second. She fought back viciously. Lip managed to eventually corner her and swung his rag so that it caught onto hers, knocking it out of her hand.

He continued to advance on her as she took more steps backward until she was pinned against the truck. Lip twisted the cloth ready to snap it when she held up her hands.

"I surrender! You win," she cried dramatically. Lip smirked and lowered his arm, his chest glistening with sweat.

"We have a problem," stated Kev coming out of nowhere, pausing for a moment to eye the two teens suspiciously. Daniela jumped at the shock. "We may need to sell some pot."

"Isn't that what you always do?" She frowned as Lip stepped away from her.

"A lot of pot," clarified Kev.

Daniela nodded and checked her phone. She had an hour before her shift started.

"Okay well, I'll see you guys later. I've got work and I need to shower." With a wave goodbye, she left.

Once she was gone, Kev fixed Lip with a sly look and tilted his head in the direction of Daniela. Lip looked at his friend and frowned.

"What?"

/

Daniela strolled into the K&G ten minutes early. Ian was still there, sat bored behind the cash register. He perked up when she walked in the door.

"Thank God you're here," he said tiredly. "I need to tell you something."

"What?" She replied worriedly. Ian shook his head, grabbed her hand and pulled her to the back. "Dude, what's going on?"

"Kash left," blurted Ian.

"Where did he go?" Frowned Daniela, not understanding what the big deal was.

"No," Ian shook his head. "Kash _left_. With another guy. Permanently."

The girl's eyes bugged. "Holy shit!" Ian quickly shushed her. "When the fuck did that happen?" She whispered angrily.

"This morning. He wanted me to tell Linda."

"What a fucking prick. Did you tell her?" Her friend went silent.

"Not yet," he admitted.

"Ian!"

"I didn't know what to do!" He cried in defense.

"Ugh, you shouldn't even be the one telling her. What about his kids? She's pregnant for Christ's sake!" Daniela shook her head. "Someone needs to tell her." At Ian's silence, she looked up to see that he was staring back with pleading eyes.

"No!" She denied adamantly. "No, no, no. I am not doing it."

"Please," her best friend begged, holding his hands together. "Think about it. Me- the guy who had sex with her husband- can't tell her that he's run off. You should do it, you're a girl."

"And?"

"And, you two could bond or some shit. Girl power, you know?" Daniela rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Come on, we both know you're the best option." She was silent for a long time.

Finally, she relented with a sigh. As she made her way out, Daniela turned to look at Ian who was sending her an encouraging thumbs up. She flipped him off in response.

/

Telling Linda hadn't been pretty. The bed-ridden woman had yelled out obscenities at the world and at her husband. Daniela had just stood there and let her. She truly felt awful for Linda.

She had spent the remainder of her shift going back and forth between manning the shop and heading upstairs to comfort Linda and try and make things easier.

When her shift was over, Linda had thanked her.

Now Daniela was stood in the hospital elevator with Jakob. It was quiet until he broke the silence.

"Hey, you wouldn't happen to know what happened to that bottle of whiskey I keep at the back of the cupboard, would you?" He pondered. Daniela shrugged casually, shaking her head.

"'Fraid not." Her brother didn't seem to believe her, giving her a knowing look.

"Mhm, well I expect whoever _took_ it to _replace_ it." Daniela gulped and nodded as the elevator doors opened.

They headed down the familiar halls to their mother's room. Camille was sat upright in her bed, joined by one of the nurses. She had been learning sign language over the last few months to communicate with people again.

Daniela and Jakob had been learning to and it was something she was interested in.

' _Good afternoon_ ', signed Daniela to the women. The nurse- Caroline- smiled and signed hello back.

' _How are you feeling today?_ ' signed Jakob to Camille. The woman lifted her hands to respond.

' _Better_ '.

Caroline took them over a few more phrases and words, teaching them the actions.

/

The next morning, Daniela woke to the buzzing of her phone. She checked it and saw that it was Veronica asking if she was free to help out with a job. Texting back a quick reply, Daniela got ready and headed to the Alibi.

Kev took them all down the side alley and down some stairs. Daniela got a shady feel from it all. When the door was opened she let out an impressed laugh.

"Yeah," sighed Veronica, taking in the reactions of her friends. "Sad thing is we need to get rid of it all. So let's get to work."

The group began cutting down the dozens of marijuana plants and bagging them. As they were working, Ian caught her up on Liam being taken as leverage for one of Frank's stupid bets.

Daniela scoffed at Frank's antics, thankful that the toddler was safe back at home.

"Yeah but we still owe him 6Gs," said Ian.

"Why don't you give them some of these," she suggested gesturing to the plants. "It should more than make up for it."

"Good idea," nodded Fiona behind her. "I'll take some over after we're done". The woman then threw a pleading look at her best friend. Veronica sighed and rolled her eyes.

"You can take a bag home if you want." The boys cheered and bagged their own plant. "Take one too if you want, Ella." The girl wasn't sure she wanted to take a whole plant home and instead cut some off.

Once they were all bagged, they carried them out to Kev's truck. The group stood around looking at the weed. Kev seemed to almost be on the verge of tears at the thought of not being able to keep it.

"It just seems like a waste," he said to his wife. Veronica shook her head knowing the best option was to get rid of it.

"You got any better ideas?" Kev thought for a moment before grinning eagerly.

/

Daniela sat on the tailgate of Kev's truck watching as Ian poured gasoline over the mountain of weed. She, along with everyone else in the neighborhood, cheered when Kev lit it up.

Ethel came and sat next to her, eyeing the beer in Daniela's hand. Noticing her gaze, she offered out the bottle.

"Want some?"

"Oh," said a surprised Ethel. "No thank you." The young girl turned back to look at the spectacle with wonder. Daniela smirked at her.

"This must be a lot different to what you're used to."

"Yes. Very different," confirmed Ethel. "Our parties were usually to celebrate the gift of a new child. My husband, Clyde never let us drink alcohol, even though he did it himself." Daniela sat and listened, feeling bad for the girl for not living a normal life.

She kicked her feet. "You ever been high before?" She asked, already knowing the answer. Ethel turned red in embarrassment and shook her head. Daniela laughed and grabbed her wrist.

"Come on then," the teen pulled her towards the bonfire. Ethel trailed nervously behind. When they reached their friends, Kev and V let out a yell of excitement at Ethel joining them. Kev shook the girl's shoulders and threw an arm around them as Veronica encouraged her to breathe it in.

Daniela left her with them, making her way over to Ian, who was laughing at something Carl had done. The girl flung an arm around his side, resting her head on his shoulder.

Lip stood on the other side of her and held up his bottle to tap against hers.

* * *

Ugh, a lot of this chapter felt cheesy as hell. I'll fix it next chapter, hahaha. Also, I really like the idea of Daniela and Ethel being besties.

It's good to be back.

 **REVIEW!**


	15. Summer Loving

**Chapter 15.**

So yeah this one's pretty shit. These first few episodes were really hard to work with so I'm just trying to get them all over and done with. This one is a triple episode chapter- so 2,3&4.

Sorry if it seems all over the place. I just really needed to get past it because it was giving me a lot of grief.

 _Special thanks to_ x NikiSt x, blue Wren, ItsMalecNotLeviosA, sarabeara188, Doppelganger99, ImagineryFreak00, and Shorte-J!

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shameless.

* * *

"Someone looks especially happy today," teased Daniela when she saw Ian. Her friend grinned at her and shrugged his shoulders.

"Mickey gets out today," he said, pulling on a t-shirt. "Mandy and I are going to pick him up."

"Right." Daniela nodded slowly and clicked her tongue. "Forgot about that." She continued to watch her friend get ready. Ian noticed her silence and turned to look at her.

"You okay?"

"Mhm. Yeah," assured Daniela with a wave of her hand. Her friend gave her a knowing look but didn't question her any further.

Standing up, she walked over to the small desk in the room, spotting a brochure. When she saw the name on it, she held it up to her friend.

"What's this?" Ian turned once again and stopped when he saw what she was holding.

He shook his head. "It's an admissions packet for West Point." Ian had been meaning to tell her but it had slipped his mind. Daniela watched him with shock-filled eyes.

"Ian, you haven't even finished high school yet."

"Yeah, I know. But I thought it would be a good idea to check it out anyway," explained the boy. "Lip found out too. He's helping me with the academic side."

Daniela let out a sigh and dropped her hand. Glancing down, she flipped through the pages, eyes skimming over the recruitment pictures.

"You sure you wanna do this?" She asked Ian seriously. Her friend nodded his head slowly in response. Sighing to herself, Daniela placed the papers back down and crossed her arms.

"You know I'll support you with whatever decision you make."

Ian looked at her, eyes full of relief, and smiled softly at her. "Thanks, Ella."

"Yeah," she nodded back. Moving forward, she threw her arms around him in a tight hug. Ian held onto her, thankful for the support of his best friend.

/

Daniela flicked through a teen magazine in boredom. It was a slow day in the shop and Linda was asleep upstairs, leaving her alone with no-one to talk to. She still had an hour to go on her shift before Ian came to take over.

She had yet to talk to her friend since Mickey had gotten out the day prior and she wasn't sure how she was going to handle tolerating Mickey. Daniela wasn't sure if the Milkovich knew that she was even aware of his relationship with Ian. Either way, the whole situation was going to a be tense one that she wasn't exactly looking forward to.

Her eyes skimmed over the article of the latest teen heartthrob when the bell above the door signaled customers. Glancing up, she did a double take at the sight of Ian with an annoyed looking Mickey following behind him.

His eyes snapped to hers and instantly she felt herself pumping out waves of animosity. Mickey stared back with a clenched jaw, obviously just as unhappy to see her.

Remembering her promise to her friend, Daniela turned her attention back to Ian who stood with his hands in his pockets.

"You're early," she commented with a raised eyebrow.

Ian nodded and leaned on the counter. "Yeah, I came to talk to Linda before I started." He pointed his thumb over his shoulder to Mickey who had moved over to perusing the shelves. "I was gonna ask if she could give him a job."

Daniela made a choked sound at her friend. "Why?" She asked curiously, eyeing Mickey warily.

"His parole officer said he needs to get a job otherwise he'll be thrown back in juvie," Ian explained defensively, knowing that she wouldn't like the idea. Daniela bit back asking if that was really a bad thing.

" _Okay_ ," she began slowly. "Even if Linda said yes, what would he be doing?"

Ian rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. "Well, he was thinking he could do some security work." Daniela scoffed loudly, grabbing Mickey's attention.

"There a problem, Kaufman?" He asked angrily, advancing towards her. Ian stopped him by placing an arm on his chest.

"No, I just find it a little ironic is all," breezed the girl back, tilting her head.

Noticing that things had more than escalated, Ian began to diffuse the situation. He sent a pleading look at Daniela, urging her to calm down. The girl clenched her jaw but nodded.

"How's Linda doing?" Asked Ian, changing the subject. The other two noticed but let it happen, both caring for the Gallagher too much.

Daniela sighed with a shrug. "Fine. She keeps asking for weird sandwiches but she drifted off a little while ago. I think she's trying to not freak out over Kash for the baby."

"Prick," spat Mickey from his position against the counter. Daniela raised a surprised eyebrow at him but agreed.

"Yeah, pretty much."

Linda's voice crackled out over the baby monitor behind the counter. "Daniela, can you bring me a grape soda please?" The girl let out a breath and turned to give the security camera a thumbs up.

Walking over to one of the fridges, she pulled one out and handed it to Ian. "Here," she said casually. Ian took it with a frown. "Go ask her."

Ian nodded in realization, sending a look to Mickey before they both headed upstairs.

They re-surfaced a half-hour later and Daniela noticed the smug look on Mickey's face and gathered that he got the job.

Ian handed him a jacket with the word 'security' splayed across the back. As Mickey pulled it on Daniela felt a buzz in her pocket. Pulling out her phone, she saw that it was a text from Lip telling her to open the back loading door.

She walked over and lifted it up to see the ice-cream truck backed up and the back roller door open already. Lip smirked at her and hopped down as Kev got up from the driver's seat.

"How's it going, Ella?" Greeted the man with a wide grin that instantly made her return it. "We're here to load up the truck."

"Oh yeah," she remembered, going to pick up a checklist of all the things they had ordered. With a glance over her shoulder, Daniela gestured her head to Lip."Follow me. All of your stuff is in the back freezers."

Lip nodded, following behind dutifully. She directed him to the boxes of ice-creams and drinks and helped him carry them to the truck.

"How's business going?" Wondered Daniela.

"Pretty good, actually. We're gonna hit up the park after this. Should be plenty of customers." Lip handed his box over to Kev who began unloading it into the coolers.

He turned to give her a once-over. "You finishing up soon?"

"Yeah," nodded Daniela back.

"You should come along," suggested Lip casually. "We could use your help. Plus the younger boys are more drawn to buying from us if they see a pretty face." Daniela barked out a laugh and batted her eyelashes at him.

"You think I'm pretty?" She asked in a sickly, sweet voice. Lip's eyes traveled over her face for a moment. He had always thought she was attractive and it seemed to grow even more after that night all those months ago. He had pushed it to the back of his mind ever since, deciding to focus more on Karen instead.

"Mickey's working here now?" He asked her with a frown, changing the subject.

Daniela nodded, slightly put out. "Yeah. He's doing security." Lip didn't miss the irony in the situation as he let out a low chuckle.

"We're taking six cases of beer, Linda," spoke Lip to one of the security cameras.

"You two can put that back, or I can smash your skulls on the pavement," drawled Mickey calmly, not even looking at the two boys stuffing candy bars in their pockets. The two kids hurriedly put them back and left the store.

Daniela laughed quietly. "Subtle." Mickey gave her a smug shrug as Lip asked for their help moving some soda.

"Hey," called Mickey. "You want me to get you some blow? Uppers, downers, Special K?"

"You know, thanks, Mickey, but we're keeping it old school," denied Lip. "Beer, joints, cigarettes. No one under 14." He turned to his brother and pulled out some cash. "Ian, could you ask Linda to order more of those Rocket-Pops. And um, keep it up with those geometry theorems."

Daniela grabbed her bag from behind the counter and slung it over her shoulder.

"Okay, well my shifts up," she said joyously, patting Ian on the shoulder. "Have fun tending to Linda."

"Will do," sighed her friend, unenthused as Lip offered out a hand to help pull her up into the truck.

/

"Hey boys," grinned Daniela out the window. The two young kids stared up at her, one of them a little too shy to ask. She tried not to laugh at them. One of the boys shoved his friend, whispering at him to speak.

"Oh. Yeah," stuttered one of them. "Can we get two joints?" Daniela eyed them suspiciously.

"How old are you?"

"14," answered the other one, puffing out his chest. Daniela doubted they were telling the truth but pulled out the bag of joints anyway, waiting for them to hand over the money. The two boys high-fived each other, glad to have gotten away with it.

As they walked away, Daniela noticed a white bus pull up to the park before a group of elderly citizens began slowly piling out. She spotted Veronica getting out of the driver's seat along with another familiar figure.

Smiling, she turned to Lip and Kev. "Do you guys mind if I take a break?"

"Yeah sure, go ahead," answered Kev lazily. Lip watched as Daniela smiled and moved over to the group, her eyes trained on her grandmother.

Wilda was in the middle of an excited conversation with another woman when she spotted the teen heading over to her.

"Daniela!" She greeted, happily.

"Hey, Oma." The girl bent down to hug the aging woman. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, we were out on our weekly trip and a few of us asked Veronica if she could bring us to the park. We haven't been anywhere exciting in ages. I'm just glad to have gotten out of that shitty retirement home."

Daniela laughed and took hold of the handles at the back of her grandmother's wheelchair and began wheeling her over to an area where the rest of the elderly were joining in on a game of baseball.

She parked Wilda's seat beside a park bench already occupied by her grandmother's only friend from the home. Daniela plopped down beside them, immersing herself in the game.

As the heat began to rise, she noticed the uncomfortable looks filling the faces of the senior citizens.

"I'm sweating like a whore in a church," spoke a flustered Wilda, fanning herself with the opening of her thin cardigan. Daniela looked at her, tearing her eyes away from the game. A lightbulb went off in her head.

"How about an ice-cream?" Chirped the girl, already up and at the back of her grandmother's wheelchair. Wilda nodded quickly, longing for a frozen treat. Daniela rounded up the rest of the group before directing them over to the truck where Kev and Lip sat.

The two men gave her stunned looks when she reached them, a horde of the elderly trailing closely behind.

Instantly, they were lining up, desperate for something to cool them down. Daniela headed back into the truck to help with the mass of oncoming orders and money flying their way.

"Hell yeah!" Cheered Kevin brightly with a grin. "Good thinking, D."

"Yeah," agreed Lip seemingly impressed. "Nothing pays like hipsters, minors and the elderly." He clapped a hand on her shoulder, dragging it across her back as he went to grab some more frozen treats from the coolers. Daniela's eyes trailed after him, hating how easily his touch managed to make her skin flare up.

She decided to blame it on the heat.

The girl smiled a little, turning back to hand out a Rocket Pop to a man she knew was named Robert. He thanked her before tearing off the wrapper and diving in.

It continued like this as more of the elderly would come back to cool themselves down once again. After reassurance from Kev that he and Lip had it under control, Daniela wheeled Wilda back to a spot under a shady tree to continue watching the baseball game.

/

Meanwhile, back in the truck, Kev and Lip were counting up all the money they had received.

Lip leaned against one of the coolers, flipping through the bills. There was a lot running through his mind.

"Hey, uh," he began hesitantly. "If a chick, you know, she's taking it slow with a guy- not sleeping with him. What do you think that means?"

Kev sighed, picking up a beer. "Means you're not getting laid." He handed the can out to a boy outside the truck before turning his attention back to Lip.

"Gotta watch out for the chicks that don't sleep with you," he warned, tapping Lip's chest lightly. "You know what it means? It means they like you. Like, 'like-like', you. Like 'love you' like you."

Lip's eyes followed Kev as he made his way outside the truck closing up the windows. He chewed on the inside of his mouth. If what Kev said was true, then Karen really did like this Jody guy.

Absently, Lip's blue eyes glanced over Kev's shoulder to Daniela who sat underneath a tree laughing and talking to her grandmother.

"They keep, you know, holding back because they're so into you but they're also waiting for you to grasp how _awesome_ they are," continued Kev with a grin. "So that when you do finally have sex for the first time you're 'making love' or some shit."

Lip's jaw clenched as he realized he could quite possibly be losing Karen. That wasn't something he wanted. He had told himself he was in love with her, even if he wasn't entirely sure he knew what love was.

Then there was that night after he found out about her and Frank where he thought he might not actually feel so strongly about her. And then Daniela was there, comforting him and being her usual helpful self. That night, when he kissed her, Lip forgot about Karen for a few moments.

He tuned back into Kev's words of wisdom as the man finished shooing away an underage customer.

"Chicks that hang out with you and don't sleep with you: run the other way, dude. Because she's ready to stop playing and settle down."

"Who's ready to settle down?" Asked Daniela, joining them in the truck. Lip's head snapped to her when she hopped in and took a seat. Kev made his way back around and got into the driver's seat.

"No-one. Just giving Lip here some relationship advice."

Daniela raised an unimpressed eyebrow at the boy. "About Karen?"

Lip shrugged in response, causing her to roll her eyes back as Kev started up the truck to take them home.

/

Over the next week and a half, Daniela didn't spend much time over at the Gallagher residence. Ian had been spending more and more time over at the Milkovich house with Mandy although Daniela suspected it was just a cover so that he could see Mickey. Even though she still saw her best friend on a regular basis at work, it wasn't strange to see Mickey very far behind him.

Aside from work, she had gone to visit her father again. It was now a normal thing where Jakob would drive her up to the prison every two weeks to see him. Their relationship was still on the mend but was without a doubt better than it had ever been.

Today she was headed over to the Alibi for Kev's 'beach-party' that she had been invited to.

Daniela walked in, noticing the various beach-themed decorations around the bar. Relaxing island music played over the speakers as the few people in the bar drank from plastic pineapple cups.

It was kind of sad really.

Kev spotted her as she entered and walked over.

"Thanks for coming, D," said the man gratefully. Daniela tore her eyes away from his bold Hawaiian-flower shirt.

"No worries, Kev. The place looks great," she smiled attempting to cheer up his gloomy look. Kev scoffed a laugh and slapped her on the shoulder.

"It's a fucking disaster." The two snickered at the pitiful turnout before Daniela moved over to the very end of the bar to order a drink. Behind her, she heard the sound of pool sticks hitting balls as she felt the presence of someone come up beside her.

"Haven't seen you around in a while."

Daniela rotated her head to see Lip resting his elbows on top of the bar, fixing her with a look. The corner of her mouth hiked up, showing off a few white teeth.

"Aw, were you missing me?" Tilting her head, Daniela batted her eyelashes innocently. Lip's gaze flicked to her mouth before going back to her eyes.

Casually, he shrugged and ordered his own drink. Daniela noticed the certain slump in his shoulders causing her to frown. She was about to question him about it when she spotted Karen sitting at a table with a rather good-looking man she had never seen before.

Judging by the clear affection between the two, she assumed this man was Jody. Daniela's jaw ticked more and more as she watched Lip continue to send longing looks Karen's way.

The blonde was either very good at ignoring him or simply didn't care, continuing to laugh and smile with her new boyfriend. Daniela sighed to herself, feeling kind of bad for Lip.

She leaned forward to speak to him in a low voice. "Quit the staring. You look like a little kid whose parents didn't let them go play on the playground so instead, you sat and watched all the other kids playing and having fun."

"What?" Blinked Lip clearly not paying attention to her lengthy analogy. Daniela rolled her eyes. She noticed she did that a lot with him.

"Your jealousy is incredibly obvious," answered Daniela more clearly. Lip scoffed lightly and drank his beer, not even bothering to deny that she was right.

His face took on a more somber expression as he placed his drink back down.

"Apparently Jody's going to propose. Karen said she'll say yes."

Honestly, Daniela was more than a little surprised that Karen Jackson was willing to settle down. Though she didn't know how long it was going to last. She also wasn't going to deny the fact that she felt slightly happy at the news.

"Don't you think it's high time you moved on from Karen?" Sighed Daniela once again before waving a hand in the direction of the blonde and Jody. "Clearly she has."

Lip's jaw clenched in frustration as his eyes connected with Karen's from across the bar. The blonde raised an eyebrow at the closeness between him and Daniela, something Lip almost smirked at. He wasn't the only jealous one.

Instantly, he got an idea.

Daniela, clearly fed up with his lack of response, groaned in frustration and threw her hands up in the air.

"Why do I even bother?"

Lip placed his hand on top of hers making her eyes go wide. She picked up on the sudden change in his body language. He angled his body more towards her, sitting a little closer to create a smaller, more intimate feel.

"What are you doing?" She asked warily. Lip's face held a little smirk as he moved even closer.

"Trust me?"

Daniela gulped and frowned.

"Now I'm worried," she joked lightly to try and cover up how shaky her voice had gone. Lip laughed and with one final glance at Karen, kissed Daniela.

To say she was surprised was an understatement. Still, Daniela melted into the kiss, the initial shock wearing off quickly.

Lip's hands grasped her waist as her own went to the side of his face and the back of his neck. She felt a familiar knot in her stomach as her lips moved against his.

And then suddenly it was all over.

Lip pulled back, though not truly sure he wanted to. He risked another glance over at Karen to see the blonde brushing off her obvious anger. Finishing off her drink, she took the hand of Jody and left. Lip smirked in satisfaction and turned back to Daniela.

"What was that?" She asked breathlessly. Her heart was still pounding and she desperately wanted it to shut up; afraid that Lip could hear it.

"Right," he rubbed the back of his neck not sure how he was going to explain that he had just kissed her to make his ex-whatever jealous. Daniela however, was way too observant for her own good, looking to where Karen and Jody once were.

If looks could kill, Lip was sure he would be six feet under in that moment.

"Wow," drawled Daniela in disgust. "You are actually so childish."

To think she actually thought he liked her.

"Look I'm sorr-" started Lip before being silenced by her hand.

"Don't." She turned to leave but stopped and walked back. "If you're gonna use me at least let me know first."

Furiously, Daniela marched out of the Alibi leaving a guilty Lip behind.

/

She ignored him for five days.

It would've gone on longer but Debbie approached her on the sixth asking if she would come to her sleepover that Fiona was forcing her to have.

Daniela didn't have the heart to say no.

So that Saturday she found herself walking back into the Gallagher house after what seemed like weeks. Ian gave her a stunned look when she walked through the door.

"You actually came!" He said, standing up from the couch to walk towards her. "Thought you had dropped off the face of the Earth or something."

Daniela grimaced. "Yeah sorry about that." Ian watched her with his arms crossed.

"Don't worry, you can tell me about it later when all the kids are watching Nightmare On Elm Street." Daniela felt bad for inadvertently blocking Ian out too. Her friend got her a beer as they continued to set everything up.

"What's with the graffiti on the door?" She asked as they placed down a few bowls of popcorn.

"Fiona fucked her old crush from high school and he ended up telling his wife," answered Lip with a laugh. Daniela shook her head.

"What a pussy."

Daniela's eyes moved around the lounge, searching for any sign of Lip. She figured he was upstairs.

Ian opened the door to let in a scantily-clad Holly Herkimer. Daniela had no idea why the 15-year-old was at Debbie's party considering she was much older. She hoped the two weren't friends considering Holly's less than stellar reputation.

Ian seemed to be wondering the same thing as he eyed her outfit with a raised eyebrow.

"Yo," called out a familiar voice from the stairs. Daniela stayed in her seat and took a nervous swig of her beer.

"Found some leftover sparklers from the fourth- make sparkler bombs. Where's the duct tape?" Asked Lip moving over to the couch. His voice trailed off when he saw Daniela sitting beside Carl. She stared back and swallowed hard before tearing her eyes away from Lip's surprised ones.

"In my kidnap kit in the van. I'll go get it." Carl jumped up from his spot to head outside.

Daniela could still feel Lip's eyes on her so she continued to drink more of her beer. After a few moments, he snapped out of it, trailing after his brother.

Daniela downed the rest of her beer before getting up to get a new one.

/

After realizing that she didn't exactly want to spend the rest of her night with a bunch of pre-teens, Daniela headed upstairs with Ian. The friends relaxed in his room just catching up on everything Daniela had missed out on.

Ian twirled his beer bottle in-between his hands, eyes focusing in on his friend laying across from him.

"So where have you been?" He finally asked. Daniela felt like clenching her eye's shut. She had hoped he had forgotten.

Shrugging, she looked back at Ian. "You know, the usual. Work, my mom, my dad. Stuff like that."

Ian nodded, deep in thought.

"So you haven't been avoiding me?" He asked seriously. Daniela quickly sat up to frown at her best friend.

"No!" She denied firmly. "Why would I be ignoring you?"

This time Ian shrugged.

"I don't know. Because of Mickey," he admitted quietly. Daniela sighed, guilty that her best friend thought this way. He wasn't the one she was avoiding.

"Ian," she began, waiting for him to look back up at her. "I'm not ignoring you. Remember, I promised I would try with Mickey." Daniela shook her head. "You have nothing to worry about."

Ian nodded, satisfied with her words and slipped back into his usual mellow self. Daniela noticed that he still hadn't given up his look of curiosity.

"So why have you been distant?" Ian watched in amusement as his friend's mouth gaped like a fish.

"I haven't been distant," refuted Daniela, shaking her head. Ian gave her a look conveying that he didn't believe her.

Sighing once again, Daniela's shoulders slumped.

"I haven't been around beca-" Her words were cut off by the reason of her problems poking his head through the door.

Ian tossed Lip an annoyed look.

"What?" Lip's eyes traveled from Daniela to his brother, remembering why he came in.

"Debbie wants you. Something to do with the movie." Ian gave Daniela an apologetic look before heaving himself up and past Lip.

The girl stayed where she was, opting to play with her fingers. Lip moved fully into the room, closing the door gently behind him.

He continued to watch her and brushed a hand over his mouth. He wasn't really sure how to go about this.

Finally, he just decided to go all in.

"I'm sorry, okay?" Tried Lip uncomfortably. He resisted the urge to pull at his collar. "What I did was shitty. Really shitty."

"Yeah," nodded Daniela in agreement. She finally met his eyes.

"I didn't think you would get so worked up over it," admitted Lip, sitting beside her on Ian's bed. Daniela scoffed in response.

"What did you expect? You used me to make Karen jealous! Without fully consulting me by the way."

"Look I'm trying to apologize here."

"And you're doing a _brilliant_ job so far," replied Daniela snidely. Lip looked like he wanted to tear his hair out in frustration.

"Can't you just forgive me so we can move on?" He asked standing up, his voice growing more heated.

Daniela followed him up from the bed, standing chest to chest.

She stared at him incredulously. "Seriously? After that bullshit apology? I don't think-" Lip muttered a curse before grabbing her face and bringing her mouth to his. Daniela's mouth fell open with a gasp, allowing him to slip his tongue in.

His hand tangled in her hair, grasping the back of her neck desperately. Daniela moaned against him and placed her hands against his chest, pushing him away.

Lip staggered back, eyes dark with desire. Daniela pushed down her own.

Gaining back her breath, she shook her head.

"You need to stop doing that," she finally said. Lip let out a clipped laugh, dragging a thumb over his mouth. Daniela took another deep breath. "Seriously. You're still hung up over Karen and I'm not here to be your rebound." Finished, she headed towards the door.

Lip looked down at his feet and called out to her. Daniela glanced over her shoulder at him with a frown.

"Does this mean I'm forgiven?" The girl couldn't help the small smile that lit up her face.

"I guess," she shrugged and turned away again.

Lip raked his hands through his hair. Feeling the tightness in his pants, he went in search for Mandy.

/

Daniela sent a large splash of water into Ian's face, laughing when he started sputtering. Her joy was soon gone when Ian retaliated with a wave of his own. Daniela was laughing so hard she missed it causing her to take a big mouthful.

Her laughter gone, she began coughing up the water. Ian chuckled at her, moving to pat her on the back to help clean out her windpipe.

Sneakily, Daniela reached out for a nearby floating water gun, aiming at his face. Ian held up a hand to try and block it while his friend let out loud cheers.

"It's going up my nose!" Cried Ian, turning his head away whilst continuing to splash her.

Daniela finally lowered the gun, smirking.

They all turned at the sound of Lip's loud groan of pain. Karen stood above him, her foot coming down from his crotch. The blonde was absolutely seething as she shoved a crumpled-over Lip to the ground.

"Why the _fuck_ was Mandy Milkovich at _my_ house trying to screw Jody? He turned her down and told me what happened!" Yelled Karen. Daniela and the rest of the Gallaghers stood just watching in silence.

"Yeah 'cause he's a fucking pussy," spat Lip. He was on all fours on the ground, his face scrunched up in pain. He let out another groan as Karen sent another hard kick to his gut. Daniela winced from the impact.

"Hey, hey!" Interjected Fiona, moving between them to stop any further damage. Ian hopped out of the pool to help restrain Karen as she continued throwing out kicks.

"Stay the _fuck_ away from me! Stay the _fuck_ away from Jody! And stay the _fuck_ away from this baby!"

Daniela's mouth fell open in shock. Ian, equally surprised, let go of Karen allowing her to leave.

No-one said anything as they watched her walk away. From beside her, she heard Kev speak.

"Holy fuck."

* * *

Done!

I still don't like this chapter to be honest. But if I do end up changing it in the future I'll make sure to let you guys know.

Thanks again for continuing to read this story despite my less than stellar updating regime.

 **REVIEW!**


	16. Father's Day

**Chapter 16.**

Sorry for such a short chapter! But I didn't think it would work for me to combine this one and the next one together.

Still, please enjoy...

ALSO, I've decided that the nickname for the Daniela/Ethel friendship is _Daniethel_... It's pretty great in my opinion.

 _Special thanks to_ blue Wren and x NikiSt x for continuing to review, I really appreciate it.

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shameless.

* * *

Daniela loved the heat. It was the reason summer was her favorite season. Along with the warm weather came warm memories of times spent splashing around in the pool or eating a ton of ice-cream.

Her skin drank up the sun's rays as Daniela entered the Gallagher house.

Ian was the first one she spotted, pouring himself a bowl of cereal.

"Morning," she greeted in chipper tone; the constantly nice weather lightening her mood.

Ian glanced over his shoulder, spotting her and smiled back.

"Hey, want some breakfast?"

"Nah I already ate." She waved away the offer and moved to sit at the kitchen counter. Two pairs of footsteps came down the stairs; Carl and Little Hank- who Daniela was not pleased to see carrying a large drill.

"Out of milk," said Carl as he took his brother's bowl of cereal. "Bev wants breakfast."

An annoyed Ian quickly snatched the cereal back as Daniela stared at them in confusion.

"Who's Bev?"

"The hooker Carl rented Frank's room off to," answered Ian not very pleased.

Carl grinned at Daniela. "They call her Double-Bag Bev because she works check out at the Jewel-Osco."

The teen snorted into the cup of coffee she had poured herself.

"That is _not_ why they call her Double-Bag Bev." Carl shrugged before Little Hank pulled him away talking of Bloody Mary mix and Bev's tits.

Daniela raised an amused eyebrow at Ian who sighed in exasperation.

"I see Carl's helping to contribute to the Winter squirrel fund." Her friend nodded, eating his milkless cereal.

"Where can I get knives and blunts?" Asked Debbie, joining them in the kitchen. Ian replied as he worked on making more coffee.

"Alley behind the OTB. Ask for Raoul but bring a rag; sometimes he doesn't bother to wipe the blood off the blade." His sister nodded along, genuinely taking in all the information.

"Why do you want knives and blunts, Debs?" Daniela inquired with worry. The young girl shrugged back.

"No reason."

Daniela made a mental note to ask again later as her eyes surveyed the room.

"Where's Lip?" It had been nearly a week since Karen dropped the baby bomb on all of them. Lip had taken it pretty hard, practically closing in on himself.

Fiona frowned at her siblings. "He still not up?" The pair shrugged and Daniela stood up from her seat.

"I'll go check on him."

She headed up the stairs, missing Fiona's raised eyebrow to Ian and his casual shrug.

As Daniela entered the room, she couldn't help but feel the gloom filling it.

The curtains were closed, letting in the tiniest shred of sunlight. Hazel eyes moved to the figure stretched out on his top bunk- just staring up at the ceiling.

Lip made no effort to look back at her or even acknowledge her presence as she sat down on Ian's bed with a sigh.

"You planning on becoming a hermit for the rest of your life?"

Lip stayed silent for a few more moments leaving Daniela to wonder if he had even heard her.

"I'm tired," he finally said. "Kev and I were out late working on the truck."

Daniela hummed to herself, obviously not believing him.

" _Right_ ," she drawled. "You sure this has nothing to do with Karen being pregnant?"

Lip moved with a short sigh to sit up on his bed.

"Can you pass me my shirt?" He pointed to the fabric lying on the nearby desk. Daniela tossed it at him and fixed him with a look.

"Try all you want to avoid the subject but it's not going away." She watched as he pulled his shirt on.

"I'm not bothered by it," lied Lip, his tone not at all convincing. Daniela's eyes followed him as he walked across the room, pulling things out of his drawers.

"Uh-huh. So you're not bothered by the fact that the baby could possibly be yours?" Lip froze at her question, halfway through pulling out some shorts.

Daniela could see the constant clenching and unclenching of his jaw as she began voicing her thoughts.

"Although, it's really a shot in the dark. You can never be too sure with Karen Jackson." She knew she had riled him up, it was partly why she had done it.

Lip stormed over to where she sat, peering up at him innocently.

"Don't talk about Karen like that," he said, his voice hard and his teeth clenched. Daniela almost smirked.

"Why? Because you're still idiotically in love with her despite the fact that she's so clearly moved on?"

Lip didn't bother answering her instead opting to quickly pull on his shorts and leave the room.

As she watched him walk away, her face dropped. No matter what wrong Karen did, Lip would always be following her around. Daniela liked to think she understood Lip. They were friends and before that she had had plenty of time to observe him.

If there were even the slightest chance that the baby was Lip's, then there was no way he was going to leave it.

Daniela hated how much it hurt.

/

"How are things going with Malik?" Grinned Daniela as her fingers worked through Ethel's hair. She was styling it into a side braid. They were currently sat outside Kev and V's house waiting for the boy to show up.

"Malik and I are taking our children for a playdate at the park," responded Ethel, trying to contain her excitement but failing miserably.

Daniela smirked at the back of her friend's head.

"You sure this isn't a date?" Ethel coughed loudly, choking on her saliva. Daniela tapped her back with a chuckle.

The young mother turned to look up at Daniela who was perched a step above her, her cheeks red.

"No! Malik is just a friend." Ethel turned her attention to her fingernails. "Besides, it wouldn't be right. I'm already a married woman."

Daniela resisted the grimace at the mention of her friend's husband.

"So Clyde can have as many wives as he wants but you can't? Sounds a bit hypocritical to me."

Ethel pursed her lips as Daniela angled her head left slightly to continue her braid.

"I suppose you're right," mumbled the girl before perking up. "And I do rather like Malik. I don't know if he feels the same way, though."

"Are you serious?" Cried Daniela in mock shock. Ethel's eyes were wide. "That boy is head over heels for you."

"You really think so?" Smiled the young girl hopefully. Daniela nodded.

"Mm-hm." Her fingers tied off the braid with an elastic band before she clapped her hands together. "All done!"

Ethel picked up her hand mirror next to her and looked, gasping at what she saw.

"I love it!" She cried ecstatically. Daniela stood up with a proud smile, Ethel following her before enveloping her in a tight embrace.

Daniela wavered on the step, eventually gaining her balance back and returning the hug.

"Thanks so much, Daniela," mumbled Ethel into her shoulder. Pulling back she gave her friend a small shy smile.

"I've never had a sister before- apart from the other wives... But this is different." Daniela's heart swelled at the young girl's words.

Her attention was pulled away at the sight of Malik arriving. Daniela squeezed Ethel's shoulder and gave her a wink.

"Have fun on your _date_." The girl blushed once more before getting Jonah who had been buckled up in his stroller already.

Daniela watched the young pair leave, a smile etched on her face when she heard Malik complimenting Ethel's new hairstyle. She gave her blushing friend one last thumb up of encouragement before heading back to her own house.

/

An hour later, Daniela woke from her nap on the couch by a knock on the door. She had fallen asleep after finishing up making her arroz con gandules and pastelillos for the neighborhood barbecue later that day.

Sluggishly, she opened it to see Debbie standing there practically bouncing on her feet. With a quick 'hello' the girl pushed her way through.

"I need to borrow some of your pheromones," said the girl already halfway up the stairs. Daniela frowned before following quickly.

"Debs." The girl had managed to easily locate Daniela's room and was now perusing her perfume. She sniffed each one, deciding whether she liked it before spritzing herself.

"Debbie, what are you doing?" Frowned Daniela again. She gently took the perfume bottle from the girl's hands and placed it back down.

Debbie dragged out a sigh and flopped down on Daniela's bed.

"I need pheromones so that Little Hank will like me." Daniela leaned against her doorframe and pursed her lips in amusement.

"Who told you that?" She had a vague idea already.

"Lip," answered the girl, placing her cheeks in her hands.

The teen moved from her spot to sit beside Debbie and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Debs, pheromones are biological." At Debbie's frown, she continued. "They're made in the body and can be pumped out through sweat." She laughed at the girl's look of disgust.

"Different people have different pheromones and different people are attracted to different people's pheromones." The gears in Debbie's head turned as she tried to understand.

"So," she began. "If you like the smell of someone's sweat, you find them attractive?"

Daniela chuckled but nodded.

"Basically." Debbie nodded, finally getting it. Tilting her head, she eyed Daniela coyly.

"Do you like the smell of Lip's sweat?"

"W-what?" Blubbered Daniela, completely caught off guard. The younger girl giggled at her shocked expression.

Daniela regained her composure and frowned.

"Why would you say that?" Debbie shrugged.

"You two have been acting differently around each other. Plus my brother is always looking at you when he thinks no-one else will notice. But I do."

Daniela kept silent, unsure of what to say. Shaking her head, she changed the conversation.

"Didn't you come here for help with Little Hank?"

"I want him to like me," admitted Debbie shyly.

"Why wouldn't he like you?"

"He likes Holly Herkimer." Daniela cringed in disgust at the mention of the 15-year-old. Ian had filled her in on the drama that had gone down at Debbie's sleepover. Needless to say, she wasn't a big fan.

"I want boys to like me like they like Holly," said Debbie a bit more desperately.

"No you don't," frowned Daniela wiping a strand of hair behind the girl's ear. "Boys look at Holly because she makes herself look easy and convenient. They don't like her for her personality. They like her because they know she's low-maintenance."

This time Debbie frowned, causing the teen to question her.

"What?"

"Lip said those were the things that caught his eye with Karen."

Daniela nodded with a swallow.

"See? Girls like Karen and Holly are not what you want to be, Debs. You want to find a boy who likes you because of your personality first and your looks second." Daniela wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer.

"You're still developing. Don't stress yourself out so much about impressing boys." She bopped Debbie's nose gently, making the girl grin up at her.

"Thanks, Daniela." Debbie threw both arms around the teen's stomach. Daniela rubbed her back, smiling softly.

"No problem, Debs."

/

"How's your studying coming along?" Asked Daniela, flipping through an answer sheet to a test Lip had given to Ian. Her friend sat at the small desk in his room bent over the same test.

"Not too good," mumbled Ian as he tried to concentrate.

"I thought you passed the last tests Lip gave you," wondered Daniela curiously. Ian quickly glanced at her and shook his head.

"I cheated." Daniela let out a low breath and read through the test. It was for geometry.

"Well, I'm sure you'll get the hang of it soon," she said encouragingly. "I was terrible at Physics and now look at me! I got a B on my finals."

Both of their heads perked up at the sound of someone knocking at the door.

They headed downstairs with Daniela close behind Ian. She could hear the visitor speaking to Carl and saw Ian's posture straighten when he caught a glimpse of who it was.

Daniela watched from the steps as Ian stood at attention and saluted the uniformed man.

"Exemplary salute," he praised.

"Cadet Colonel Gallagher, Junior ROTC," introduced Ian, resting his arms on his back.

"Colonel McNally." The man reached out for a handshake. "Are you Lip's brother?"

"Ian." Daniela could see the admiration in her friend's eyes as he continued to talk to the Colonel. "He mentioned you were taking an interest but I didn't think you would stop by."

Daniela moved to the kitchen to get herself a cold drink while the two conversed.

As she walked towards them again, her heart dropped.

"Big future, your brother," said Colonel McNally. Daniela could pinpoint the exact moment Ian's excitement died.

"The nature of combat is changing," continued the man. "We need all the creative thinkers we can get."

Daniela sipped from her drink as the Colonel asked Ian to make sure Lip received the admission papers for West Point. As soon as the door closed, Ian clenched his fist, crumpling the papers.

"Ian," began Daniela gently. He looked over his shoulder at her, obvious anger etched into his face. When she saw his eyes glisten she hurried forward to hug him. Ian held onto her for a moment before pulling away and marching upstairs.

She trailed behind warily.

Daniela watched as Ian furiously tossed the papers on the bed before getting down to start doing push-ups. She knew he was working off his anger.

By the time he got to 60, she sighed.

"Dude quit it. I'm feeling exhausted just watching you." Ian shook his head and continued.

At the sound of approaching footsteps, he began counting even louder.

"65, 66, 67."

"Went to Karen's," said Lip entering the room and sitting next to Daniela.

"68, 69, 70."

"Tried to step up. She told me to fuck off. Can you believe that?" Daniela scoffed and rolled her eyes, scooting away from him.

"73, 74, 75, 76, 77."

"She'd rather play house with Keanu." Daniela truly wondered what shit went through Lip's head. Her and Ian did not care about his drama with Karen.

Still, Ian continued doing push-ups.

"81, 82."

"Did you hear what I said?" Asked Lip, lighting up a smoke. He turned to look at Daniela with an annoyed expression. "What's his problem?"

Daniela just glared back, shifting her eyes away to look at her best friend.

"How many push-ups can you do?" Ian finally said to his brother. Lip frowned.

"Right now? Stoned?"

"Your best day," clarified Ian, still going. Daniela took a sip of her grape soda knowing that things were going to get bad.

"I don't know. Five, six," shrugged Lip casually.

Ian continued firing off questions to his brother with Daniela just sitting back and watching. The two continued going back and forth as things moved out to the hallway.

Daniela would get involved if she had to.

"Fuck you, Lip," spat Ian from the bathroom. His brother was already halfway down the stairs. "Get back to your whore who can't be sure if her kid is your son or your brother."

Daniela's mouth dropped open at the sharp insult. She would have cheered him on if Lip hadn't of hurried back up and punched Ian in the face.

The brothers stumbled into the bathroom, knocking over everything as their fists flew at each other. Daniela got up from the bed and rushed into the bathroom as Ian tackled Lip into the bathtub.

"Hey!" She yelled out just as Ian went to smash his brother's face against the edge of the tub. "You got it out of your system now that's enough!"

Her voice grabbed both of their attentions. Daniela watched as her friend angrily let go of his brother and stood up, wet from the tap that had turned on.

"I'll make West Point on my own," he declared, walking past Daniela. "I don't need you."

Daniela breathed heavily and stared as Lip laid back in the tub, scrubbing a hand over his face.

Noticing the water still running, she twisted the handle to turn it off. Lip leaned his head back, catching his breath and looked at her.

She knew he hadn't meant for this mess up with the Colonel to happen and that he had only had done it for his brother.

However, she knew how badly this meant to Ian and couldn't help sympathizing with him.

Daniela gave a soaked Lip one last long look before leaving.

/

Later that day, she headed to the Independence Day barbecue. It was now an annual tradition for the neighborhood to celebrate a local woman shooting her abusive husband with a nail gun while he was asleep.

Everybody had turned up, bringing along a plate of food each. Jakob walked alongside her, carrying her dish of Arroz con gandules. The smells wafting from it were heavily enticing and Jakob looked just about ready to dive into it.

They moved over to the tables laid out with all the food. Jakob placed it down before looking around the area with a disgruntled look.

He hissed when his sister delivered a sharp elbow to his gut.

"Why did I have to come to this?" He whined for the fifth time since they had left the house.

"Oh, come on. Where's your community spirit?" Daniela placed her hands on her lips and stuck her bottom lip out. Her brother rolled his eyes.

"I don't have any," he deadpanned. Daniela laughed loudly and slapped his shoulder lightly.

"Walk around, mingle, make some friends!" The siblings looked around, their eyes taking in their neighbors. Daniela eyed her brother playfully.

"Never know. You might meet my future sister-in-law here." Jakob scoffed a laugh and shook his head.

"No, no. I've already met the woman in this neighborhood and _no_ thank you."

"You're such a downer," groaned Daniela with an eye roll. Her face lit up when Debbie bounded over towards her.

"Ella!" She cried happily. "Look what Little Hank gave me". Debbie waved around the hand-picked (most likely stolen) bouquet of flowers.

Daniela shook her shoulders and cheered. She was happy for Debbie despite the wariness she still held for the boy.

"Are you wearing makeup?"

"Yeah," grinned Debbie. "Mandy did it for me."

Daniela was less than enthused but smiled at Debbie anyway, glad to see she was happy.

The young girl eventually left them, off in search of some cold beverages for her and her crush.

She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see a smiling Simon standing behind her.

"Hey!" Daniela pulled him in for a hug. "I thought your parents were taking you to visit family in Denver?"

"Yeah we got back this morning," answered Simon.

"It's so good to see you. Come on, let's get you a drink." Daniela grabbed his hand, pulling him towards the buckets of ice.

/

Daniela sipped on her ice-cold grape soda just soaking in the heat with Simon. Her brother had seen Tony and a few other cops show up and had headed off with them.

Glancing around, her eyes spotted Ethel and Malik sitting a little ways away from them. Daniela watched with a smile as Malik put whipped cream on her nose. Ethel turned her face with a laugh and spotted her friend.

Daniela sent her a knowing grin and raised her soda can at her. Ethel blushed once more before her attention was pulled back to Malik.

Daniela chuckled and turned back to Simon. He was catching her up on his trip when she saw a bloodied-faced Lip storming past her.

Quickly, she excused herself and followed after him.

"Lip!" She called as he reached the street. Daniela knew he heard her because he began walking faster.

She jogged to catch up to him.

"Hey, Lip!" She called once more, managing to snag his elbow. He fought her grip but she managed to catch his face between her hands.

Lip's eyes stared past her back at the barbecue as she looked at the damage.

"Did you get into another fight?" Asked Daniela, her voice laced with worry. "Come on, let's go get some ice and a rag to clean your face."

Lip sucked on his teeth and pulled her hands off his face angrily.

"Look why don't you just fuck off, alright?" He spat, shocking her. Daniela frowned and moved towards him again.

"What's wrong? I'm trying to help you." She swallowed hard when Lip let out a dry laugh.

He moved closer, getting up in her face. When he spoke his voice was slow, detached and venomous.

"I don't _want_ your help. I don't _need_ your help. So why don't you just do me a favor and leave me the fuck alone."

Daniela stood frozen. Her eyes were filled with hurt at his harsh words.

Lip stared at her, his anger nearly disappearing at her crestfallen expression.

Clenching his fists, he twitched his nose and swiveled around, leaving Daniela stood rooted to her spot.

She could feel the very persistent tears pricking at her eyeballs but refused to let them go. She didn't know why he had said those things to her and she didn't like how much they affected her.

 _Fine_ , thought Daniela. If he wanted her to leave him alone, then that was what she was going to do.

She was done wasting her time on Phillip Gallagher.

* * *

Dat angst doe.

Anyways, I hope you guys like it and please don't forget to leave a review or follow or favorite. I love hearing from you guys and getting your thoughts on everything because it sort of has an influence on the story.

Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far!

 **REVIEW!**


	17. Can I Have A Mother?

**Chapter 17.**

 _Special thanks to_ Amelia Mikaelhey, MischeifManaged12144, Guest, MovieLover2019, King and the Lionhearted, scarlettsoldier, witchbaby300, Drinkmetomadness, firefae19, Randichele, boompop69, ks vamp girl, Allisonaubriey, toxic click, damagedgoods2012, mymy15 and Pein's Kid!

Thank you all so much!

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shameless.

* * *

Daniela stood checking off the list on her clipboard as Ian and Mickey unloaded the truck. She blew out a breath of air to move away a stray hair that had fallen on her face.

Ticking off all of the delivered items, she bid farewell to the delivery man before placing her clipboard down and helping the two boys carry the new stuff to the back.

"I'm gonna have to do inventory today so just put them in ordered piles," said Daniela placing her box of Pringles down beside Ian's. Her friend nodded before opening one of the fridge doors and grabbing out a drink.

"You're paying for that," scolded his friend holding up a finger in warning. He grinned cheekily back, pulling out a few notes and handing them to her. She took them from his hand before moving to the cash register.

Mickey dusted off his hands and leaned beside a magazine rack, pulling one out and flipping casually through it. He glanced up at Ian and nodded his chin.

"You talking to Lip yet?" Asked Mickey, trying to make conversation to fill the awkward silence that usually occurred between the three of them.

Daniela was still adjusting to hanging around the guy and was just thankful for Ian being there. Mickey's thoughts were similar.

The redhead shook his head and scoffed. "No chance of that happening anytime soon."

Daniela smirked feeling the same. She had kept her promise to herself and had stayed far away from Lip; this time making sure to not avoid the rest of the Gallaghers while she did so. Daniela had confided in Ian, explaining what had happened at the barbecue but hadn't gone any further than that.

The bell above the shop door chimed as Karen walked in, all blonde hair and smiles. Daniela pursed her lips at the sight of her.

The blonde moved to the back of the shop where all the 'fresh' produce was kept and chose a few avocados before bagging them and bringing them to the front counter.

Ian stayed silent as did Mickey; the latter not knowing her enough to comfortably start up a conversation.

Daniela served her, weighing the fruits on a scale before recounting the price to Karen. The blonde held out a few bills and smiled.

"Hey Daniela," she began a little nervously. Daniela didn't miss her toying with the ring on her finger. "Jody and I got hitched and my mom wants to have a reception. It's tomorrow afternoon. You should totally come." Karen then turned to Ian. "You're all invited."

Ian raised an eyebrow at her, his face blank.

"Lip too?" Daniela watched as the girl's eyes narrowed slightly before she waved it off with a laugh.

"You're so funny, Ian."

"Yeah, he's a real comedian," drawled Daniela as Karen gave her one final smile and picked up her avocados.

"See you guys later."

Mickey eyed her out the door, the magazine still in hand. He was clearly unimpressed.

Daniela nearly laughed.

/

Fiona had been searching for her brother all morning, eventually managing to find him lounging on the roof of the high school. She figured he would be there as it was an old thinking place for him.

Lip took a puff from his joint, enjoying the high as he listened to the sound of his sister climbing up to meet him. He didn't acknowledge her.

"Oh, Jesus," she mused taking in the view. She had a slight fear of heights. "What's up with you and Ian? Did he say something about Karen?"

Lip kept on with his silence, just staring off across the town. He heard Fiona sigh.

"She's married. Skipping the wedding reception I hope?"

"Wasn't invited," stated Lip bluntly. He noticed with disappointment that his joint was almost finished.

Lip looked to his sister who nodded to herself.

"She's moved on." Lip smirked.

"I hope you see the irony in you giving out relationship advice." Fiona gave him an unimpressed look, clearly not here for his shit.

She tucked her hands in the back of her pockets, taking another long drag of polluted air.

"You know for a second there I thought you might've been doing the same," admitted Fiona quietly. Lip frowned back at her.

"What do you mean?" Fiona rolled her eyes at her brother's obliviousness.

"Daniela?" Lip went quiet again at the mention of her and turned his eyes back to the town.

Fiona noticed.

"What happened with you two?" She asked, her voice heavy with curiosity.

Her brother chewed on the inside of his cheek. Lip had been angry that day at the barbecue. He wasn't even mad at her. It was everybody else yet she had faced the brunt of it all. Lip couldn't ignore the bubble of guilt in his stomach.

He realized he still hadn't answered Fiona's question.

"Nothing," Lip finally said; his response earning a scoff from his sister.

"Look whatever it is, I want you to fix it," ordered Fiona firmly, making her way towards him. "That girl is a blessing in disguise for you." Her brother raked a hand through his hair as she bobbed down beside him, resting a hand on his leg.

"Make things right with them. I can't have you and Ian fighting." Fiona placed a kiss on the top of her brother's head before heading back towards the ladder. "You two are my rocks!"

Lip sat in contemplation. Despite the hilarity in the irony of his sister giving him relationship advice, Lip knew that she was right about this. He would start with Ian first before apologizing to Daniela.

Taking one final drag of his joint, he tossed it down to the pavement.

/

Daniela strolled home, her shift at the K&G done and dusted. Ian still had another half-hour to go. She was in a bit of a rush to get home. She had to get showered and dressed as Simon was taking her out so they could properly catch up.

As she walked past the Gallagher house, she spotted a familiar figure and clenched her eyes shut. Lip noticed her too.

Her pace picked up.

Daniela wasn't sure if he would bother following her but sure enough, any suspicions were answered when she heard the sound of his feet hitting the pavement behind her.

"Daniela!" Called out Lip, gaining on her. The girl sighed as he reached her. "I was calling out to you."

Daniela said nothing, choosing to just stare straight ahead at her mailbox.

Two more houses to go.

Lip sighed in exasperation.

"Hey, I need to talk to you." He didn't reach out to stop her, knowing that it would just make matters worse. He would take the calm approach.

She didn't seem to care.

"What? You just gonna keep giving me the cold shoulder?"

Feeling spiteful, Daniela finally spoke. "Of course not."

One more house.

Lip wanted to tear his hair out. The girl was so damn stubborn. He would like it if it wasn't him she was being stubborn with.

"Can't you just wait so I can talk to you properly?" He sighed, his frustration showing. Daniela thought about backing down but ultimately decided against it.

This was what he wanted. She was simply giving it to him. Maybe she was being a little petty but Daniela couldn't find it in her to care in that moment.

It was a large weight off her shoulders when she reached her front steps. Lip continued to follow her, relentless.

"You not gonna look at me either?" Daniela stopped on the second step. Lip smirked to himself.

Slowly, she rotated around to finally look at him. She was taken back by how genuinely this whole situation was getting to him. Daniela crossed her arms over her chest, waiting patiently for him to say something.

Lip floundered.

He wasn't exactly sure why. Something about her harsh glare drilling into him caused all of his current thoughts to get wiped away.

Daniela's expectant gaze morphed to one of disappointment. With a final sigh, the girl swiveled and headed inside.

/

"Hey," greeted a smiling Simon when Daniela opened the front door. He let out a low whistle at her dress, his eyes appreciating the sight. Daniela felt like squirming under his gaze.

Simon met her eyes again and offered out his elbow for her. She laughed at his chivalry, placing her hand in the crease of his arm.

"Our chariot awaits," he grinned making a grand wave at the car parked alongside the road. Daniela spotted his mother waving at her from the driver's seat and giggled.

His mother greeted her kindly as she hopped in the back beside Simon before taking them to their destination.

Daniela hopped out of the car and stared at where they were. Her smile began to fade.

It was the diner she had brought Lip to.

Simon came up next to her, having finished saying goodbye to his mother. He took in her less than excited expression with a frown.

"Is everything okay?" He asked tenderly, feeling the anxiety creeping up on him. "I just thought- I mean. We both loved this place so much the last time we were here. If you don't want to eat here we can go somewhere else."

Simon continued to stutter and fuss. Daniela shook her head quickly.

"No, no. It's nothing," she said shaking her thoughts away. She grinned at Simon who still looked nervous. "Let's go inside! I've been craving their milkshakes."

Simon's shoulders lifted once again as she grabbed his hand and dragged him in.

No matter how hard she tried to, Daniela couldn't ignore the persistent flashbacks of her and Lip. She didn't know why she was feeling this way. Lip wasn't the first person she had been with here. It was Simon.

So why did it feel so strange to be here eating with him instead of Lip?

It was as she was sharing her dessert with Simon that it all clicked.

She liked him.

Daniela actually _liked_ Lip.

The realization had always been resting under the surface ever since they had first kissed. Now, being back in the diner, it hit her and Daniela wasn't sure how to feel.

She split the bill with Simon- although it was with a lot of insistence on her part.

His mother came back to pick them up and drop her off. Simon walked her to her front door and Daniela didn't miss the breath mint he had quickly popped in his mouth as they got out of the car.

Daniela smiled at him, knowing what he was about to do. Not wanting to lead him on, she held up a hand.

Simon frowned nervously at her.

"Before you do what I think you're about to do, there's something I need to tell you." The boy groaned and slapped his forehead, staring at her in between his fingers.

"You're a lesbian aren't you?" He asked quietly. Daniela laughed loudly and shook her head.

"No, I'm not a lesbian." She paused for a beat. "The thing is, I think I have feelings for someone else," explained Daniela unable to stop fidgeting with her hands.

"Oh," replied Simon, a little put out.

"I just didn't want to lead you on, you know? I really like you, Simon."

"Just not like that?" Daniela shook her head.

"Not like that." Simon pursed his lips and the girl stared in worry.

"Did I just screw our relationship up?" The boy looked back at her with wide eyes.

"No!" He denied firmly. He raked a hand through his hair. "I suppose I was preparing myself for this just in case. But you haven't ruined anything."

Daniela gave him a small, thankful smile and moved forward to hug him, his cologne filling her nose.

"Thank you for being so understanding." The girl pulled back to drop a kiss on his cheek. "I'll text you tomorrow, okay?"

Simon nodded slowly, his cheek burning.

"Okay." Daniela sent him one last smile before closing the door behind her.

As she lay on her bed that night, Daniela pondered over what this new revelation meant for her.

So she had feelings for Lip. Strong feelings, she would say. But then there was the small predicament where he had basically dismissed her from his life.

Adding on from that was the whole Karen situation and Daniela knew there was no way this was going to end well for her.

/

The next day came quickly as Daniela made her way to Karen's house for her wedding reception. She seriously had doubts about going but Ian had roped her into it, enticing her with the prospect of free food.

She couldn't argue with free food and if Frank's stories were any indication, Sheila knew how to cook.

Her sandals click-clacked against the pavement as her light blue sundress shifted gracefully with her movements. Daniela grew closer to the house but stopped when she noticed Lip drinking across the road under the L.

She felt something new shift in her stomach at the sight of him. She had never noticed it before.

Daniela knew he wasn't invited, yet here he was.

Knowing that Lip most likely was planning on gate-crashing, she made her way over. His blue eyes saw her dress first, taking it in before his gaze moved to rest firmly on her face.

He swallowed and took a sip of his beer at the sight of her.

"What are you doing here?" Asked Daniela with narrowed eyes, not wanting him to cause a scene.

"Oh, are we talking again?" Quipped Lip back eyeing her lazily. He took another swig. "Is that what's happening?"

Daniela fought the urge to roll her eyes, instead taking in his disheveled appearance and glassy eyes.

"Are you high?" She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned forward to get a better look. Lip was the one to roll his eyes.

"Why do you care?"

"I don't," she responded easily with a shrug. "I just don't want you to cause a scene that would result in me catching second-hand embarrassment." Lip snorted a laugh and rubbed a thumb over his nose.

"Look if you just came over her to chastise me- don't." He waved his beer bottle to Karen's house, a sarcastic smile on his face. "But please, do enjoy your party."

"I intend to," replied Daniela, turning up her nose. Lip watched her walk away, his eyes glued to her dress.

He still wasn't drunk enough yet.

/

As soon as Daniela stepped into the house, she spotted the Gallagher clan. They were all crowded around in a corner near the bar along with Kev and Veronica.

Ian tossed her a thankful look when he saw her. "I thought you were gonna leave me here to suffer alone," he complained.

"You're the one that said we should come," replied Daniela, the corner of her mouth quirking up.

Ian looked to be regretting that decision as his eyes flicked around the room uncomfortably. It was awkward for him being here in Karen's house.

Daniela empathized with him.

Karen's smiling face along with Jody's casual grin popped up in front of them.

"Hey, Daniela!" She greeted, clearly happy. She tugged on Jody's arm that she was holding to grab her new husband's attention.

"This is Jody," introduced the blonde.

The man nodded in greeting to Daniela who simply returned it before looking back at Karen.

"Congratulations on everything." Her feigned cheer was convincing enough to the couple who thanked her and walked away to greet more of their guests. When they were gone, Daniela gave Ian a drained look.

"I need alcohol." Her friend laughed, grabbing her by the shoulders to guide her over to where the drinks were. The rest of the Gallagher crew greeted her as she made her way over.

As Daniela stood and talked with them she couldn't quite ignore the constant looks Fiona would send her way. The first few times, she had written them off as nothing. However, the more and more it happened, the more and more curious she got.

Fiona stared at her, her expression almost inquisitive.

The woman eventually quit her staring, turning back to Kevin and V. Daniela took a large gulp of her liquor.

Ian and Daniela shuffled around the room, feeling restless. Her eyes moved around the room, surveying everyone. She nearly spat out her drink when she saw a familiar figure walk through the door.

Ian, noticing her shock, looked and rolled his eyes.

"Oh yeah. Forgot to tell you, Steve's back." He was clearly disinterested, opting to go back to his awkward standing around and drinking.

Steve caught a glimpse of Daniela, giving her what he would consider a warm smile. He walked towards her, a beautiful woman on his arm.

"Hey, Daniela," he greeted in a chipper tone. The girl simply raised an eyebrow at him. Ian had already walked off to the others.

"Hello, Jimmy." Daniela smiled back innocently. "How was Brasil?"

The man's positive expression dropped slowly and he swallowed. Brushing it off with a chuckle, he gestured to the woman on his arm.

"This is my wife, Estefania." The beautiful brunette smiled with a short wave before saying something to her husband in Portuguese. Steve nodded along, not understanding what she was saying.

He turned back to Daniela and jerked a thumb in his wife's position, chuckling lightly.

"She doesn't really speak any English," informed Steve before his gaze locked onto Fiona's over her shoulder. Saying a quick goodbye, he pulled Estefania along behind him.

Moving back over to the bar, Daniela grabbed the bottle of Jameson and began pouring herself a glass. She chewed on her lip, becoming startled when a voice called out behind her.

"You!" Daniela turned to see Frank's mother coming towards her. The woman let out a long breath and rested her arms against the counter. Daniela eyed her in shock.

Was everybody making a surprise appearance today?

"Mrs. Gallagher, I didn't know you were out of prison," she said but the woman quickly waved it off.

"Do an old lady a favor and pour me one of those." She pointed to Daniela's glass.

The girl quickly got to it, sliding it over to the old woman who instantly threw it back. Wiping a hand over her mouth, she slid it back to Daniela for a refill.

"Call me, Peggy," she instructed before downing the next one. Daniela nodded numbly, sipping from her own cup.

Peggy took the bottle of Jameson, starting on her third drink. The woman glanced out the corner of her eye at Daniela as she did so. The teen leaned against the counter and groaned to herself at the sight of Lip walking towards them.

"For fuck's sake," mumbled Daniela under her breath. The idiot was bound to stir up some drama with his presence.

Peggy caught on to her annoyance and raised a curious eyebrow at her.

"Trouble in paradise?" She asked, taking another drink. Daniela scoffed, her eyes catching Lip's hazy ones.

"Not with me."

Lip swaggered over with a cocky grin as Daniela continued to stare him down. Looking to Peggy he nodded his head in greeting.

"How's it going, Grams?" He shifted closer to Daniela, leaning across her to pick up the bottle of Irish whiskey. She could smell the alcohol and weed on him; it made her nose crinkle.

"Hey," he said to her; his voice low and slightly husky. Lip's grin grew at the obvious frustration on her face. Peggy eyed the two's interactions silently.

"You 21?" She asked her grandson, breaking the eye contact between the two teens.

"In four years," answered Lip simply, filling up his cup. He took a gulp and looked back to Daniela who's eyes were narrowed.

"What are you doing here?" She spoke through gritted teeth.

"I'm enjoying the party." Lip waved his arms wildly around the room.

Daniela rolled her eyes, walking away to join Ian again. Lip watched her go, his shit-eating grin still plastered on his face. He looked to his grandmother, the woman huffing a laugh at him before asking for another refill.

/

Ian was stood against a wall with Debbie when Daniela reached them. She leaned forward to speak to him in a hushed tone as Sheila began her speech.

"Lip's here," she said. Ian threw his head back with a deep sigh before surveying the crowd to spot him. When he did, he shook his head and turned back Daniela.

"He's a fucking idiot,"

"He's drunk and high," clarified Daniela with another look to Lip. Her friend sucked on his teeth, shoving his hands in his pockets.

Carelessly, he shrugged. "He's not our problem to deal with anymore." Daniela's eyes dropped to the ground. Ian was right.

Erasing Lip from her mind, she tuned back into Sheila's slurred speech. Clearly, the woman was relying on some liquid courage.

"And I know he would be so proud of his grandbaby," spoke Sheila of her late husband. "No matter who the father was... Except Frank, he hated Frank." Everybody in the room shuffled their feet uncomfortably.

"But it couldn't be Frank because there wasn't any penetration! Eddie didn't like being penetrated. He had a funny bump on the side of his penis that he thought was cancer but it was just from me being too rough with him."

Daniela couldn't help the laugh that bubbled out of her throat. Ian sniggered and elbowed her to be quiet. The two went back and forth, still grinning while Sheila carried on in the background.

"Jesus, is that bitch ever gonna shut up?" The room fell silent at Peggy's question. All eyes turned to her but she didn't care, continuing to drink from her cup.

"And Frank's mother, who we're so honored to have here even though you weren't invited. And not really honored because you're a convicted felon," accused Sheila harshly. Peggy sat back and listened calmly, nodding along.

Daniela watched as Sheila continued to berate the woman for being a 'vicious bitch' and wondering how someone so sweet as Frank came from her womb. She scoffed into her cup at that statement.

The entire time, the man stood rigidly; too scared to say anything against his mother, knowing there would be consequences.

"Shut up you batty bitch!" Yelled Peggy as she rose from her seat.

Sensing that things were escalating quickly, Daniela backed up a few paces to the wall.

The two woman verbally fought it out until Peggy shocked everyone and aimed a gun at Sheila.

Daniela's eyes widened and she watched as Tony quickly jumped in to grab the gun. Peggy was able to pull the trigger, sending a bullet into the smoke alarm on the roof.

Frightened screams rang out around the room as people quickly evacuated. Daniela stayed with a stunned Ian who was simply watching as things were being brought back to control. Eventually, guests took the hint and hurriedly left the party.

The Gallaghers stayed back to help with the clean up, feeling more than a little guilty and responsible for what had happened. Daniela also chose to stay, making her way around the house with a black trash bag to put in all of the used paper plates and cups.

She was clearing the food table when Jody came up beside her to help. She noticed the obvious slump in his shoulders and sad expression.

"Sorry about what happened," grimaced Daniela.

The man looked at her, breaking out of his daze and shrugged. "Wasn't your fault."

"Still, your wedding reception was ruined. Karen must be devastated."

Jody nodded. "She's been sitting outside ever since. I was going to go out and comfort her but a pregnant friend of mine told me that her hormones would be heightened so she would be quicker to snap at me."

Daniela nodded and placed another paper plate into her trash bag."You must be really excited for the baby." Finally, the man's grim expression was replaced with one of joy and excitement.

"Oh yeah," he grinned, his actions becoming quicker at the thought of the baby. "I've been reading all of these books on pregnancy. Karen helps me out with the difficult words that I don't understand."

Daniela smiled at him, glad that he was so eager to become a father with Karen. She also felt bad for him knowing that the baby was definitely not his.

From what she had heard from Lip- which was a lot- Karen had abstained from having sex with Jody because she actually liked him. Daniela also knew that while Karen wasn't sleeping with Jody, she was definitely sleeping with Lip.

The thought caused an angry fire in the pit of her stomach.

She and Jody finished cleaning up the lounge, leaving her to take the trash bag out to the bins.

As she went to open the screen door, Daniela heard the distinct voices of Lip and Karen talking. Knowing better but not being able to resist, she listened in to their conversation.

"I'm the American Dream," spoke Karen with fake enthusiasm, her voice thick with tears.

"You are," nodded Lip before jerking his head. "Except doofus is your husband and that's my baby." That familiar pang hit Daniela again as she leaned against the door.

"So what?" Asked Karen with a sad laugh. "Do you want it on the weekends? You wanna run away together and get a double-wide?" It was silent for a moment and Daniela figured he was shaking his head.

"No," denied Lip before his voice grew hard. "I want you to get an abortion."

Daniela's mouth fell open. The anger she had towards him flaring up once again. She smirked at the satisfying sound of Karen's hand hitting Lip's cheek. The blonde passed her as she headed inside, giving her a silent look.

Daniela moved out to lean against the railing. She watched as a stunned Lip touched his now red cheek.

"You totally deserved that," said Daniela, turning her nose up at him in disgust.

He looked at her in annoyance, still massaging his face. Daniela stood upright before carrying her trash bag down the steps and past Lip to the bin. She felt his eyes burning a whole in her the whole time.

Daniela didn't look back.

Instead, she placed the lid back on the trash can before promptly gliding past him and up the steps.

Until he stopped her.

"You back to ignoring me now?" He called out with a dry laugh. Daniela glared at him over her shoulder.

"I haven't been ignoring you," she lied and Lip picked up on it straightaway, scoffing at her.

"Yeah, that's bull." Daniela sighed and turned fully, resting her hip against the step's railing.

"I don't get it. This is what you wanted isn't it?" She glowered down at Lip. His own gaze dropped to the bottom step as he chewed on his lip.

Daniela nodded and held a finger to her chin. "How did you put it? 'Why don't you just do me a favor and leave me the fuck alone'? Yeah, I think that's what it was."

"Are you done now?" Lip's hollow eyes were back on her. Daniela pursed her lips and turned to head back inside. She heard him mutter a curse before she felt his hand wrap around her wrist. She listened to him sigh and looked over her shoulder again.

"I didn't mean it," he admitted. Daniela raised a disbelieving eyebrow at him. "Okay, maybe I did. But I didn't mean for you to just treat me like I don't exist anymore."

"Look, you didn't want my help. So I'm not going to bother." Daniela shook her head, retracting her wrist from his surprisingly gentle hold.

Lip continued to look at her, searching her face for something before sighing in defeat.

"I'm sorry," he finally said after a few long moments. His voice grew quieter. It was a rare moment when Daniela saw Lip in a vulnerable position. This was one of those times.

"I really need a friend right now." Daniela frowned down at him with a light scoff.

"Yeah well I don't really know if I just want to be friends with you." Her own murmured words caught her off guard and her mind reeled at the possible double meaning.

Lip also held a look of curiosity. He stared at her strangely and climbed another step, the distance between the two shortening.

They stood chest to chest. Daniela's hard gaze had softened by her words as she struggled to maintain eye contact. Lip, on the other hand, couldn't stop looking at her, a light frown marring his features.

His gaze dropped to her neck watching as she gulped nervously. His voice was low and thick when he spoke.

"What then?" Daniela tried to keep her breathing even as his blue eyes hit her hazel ones.

She could tell him, but then there was Karen- pregnant Karen. Daniela knew it wouldn't change anything if she told him.

"Just forget I said anything." Feeling overwhelmed, she quickly walked backward up the steps. She didn't care that she could possibly fall back or trip.

All she cared about was getting away from Lip. He watched her clamber inside, not bothering to stop her this time.

This time he was the one left standing alone.

* * *

Ugh, I hope that was okay.

Thank you so much to all the people that continue to read this. I'm surprised that I've even made it this far with the story. Please continue to let me know what you think!

 **REVIEW!**


	18. A Bottle of Jean Nate

**Chapter 18.**

Sorry for the really long wait and for such a short chapter. I was on vacation and got back a week ago so I've been re-adjusting to my everyday life.

This one is a lot of Daniela doing her own kind of stuff because there wasn't much to do in the episode with her. Basically, it's a filler chapter. Also, I'm not an art enthusiast so yeah...

I hope you still enjoy!

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shameless.

* * *

Daniela had honestly been shocked when she received news that Ethel had taken off with Malik. In a way, Daniela was proud of the girl for finally taking control of her life but at the same time, she was also disappointed.

Two weeks prior, Daniela had come home to find an actual hand-written letter from Ethel. Who even wrote letters to people anymore? Obviously, Ethel.

Her and Malik had decided to start a life with their two children and make money selling weed that Kev had buried in their front lawn.

Since then, the young girl had sent postcards from the various locations they had traveled to across America. Daniela was happy for her despite the sadness she felt that she would most likely never see Ethel again.

She pondered this thought as she came to the outside of a community center in the city. Today was the last week of some art sessions that had been taking place.

Daniela had meant to come to some of the earlier ones but always managed to get caught up. Now the new school year was around the corner and Daniela found herself seeking some artistic activities.

Her Art teacher had told her about it and especially recommended her to go and check it out.

Walking through the doors, her eyes took in the various people; all of them being mostly the same age as her. They were all mingling, no doubt having gotten to know one another over the past month.

Daniela felt uncomfortably left out.

Her sweaty palm wrapped around the strap of her bag nervously as her mind decided whether or not to just leave.

"Hey there," chirped a warm voice behind her.

Daniela's head snapped past her shoulder to see a girl around her age with cropped hair the color of chestnut and equally brown eyes. The girl offered her a kind smile at Daniela's shocked expression. She came to stand in front of her.

"I haven't seen you around here," observed the girl. Her narrowed eyes assessed her. "Is this your first one?"

Daniela nodded her head before clearing her throat.

"Yeah, I just came to check it out. My teacher recommended it to me but I was too busy to come to the earlier ones." The girl nodded back and extended a hand.

"I'm Jessica." The girl pointed to her shirt were a name badge was placed. "You can hang with us today if you want to." Jessica jerked a lazy thumb over her shoulder to three other teenagers chatting near a table laid out with food and beverages. "You looked kind of lonely."

Daniela was taken aback by her openness but was thankful no less.

"Sure," she agreed, a smile tugging at her mouth. Jessica sent her one right back before hurrying her over to introduce her to the other three teens.

Shortly after the introductions were made, a woman wearing an art smock ushered them into an adjacent room.

Daniela was riveted. The woman spoke of some of the most influential and game-changing artists throughout history and their impact on modern art. She listened with open ears, taking in all of the information.

Jessica noticed her eager look and grinned, knocking her shoulder gently. Daniela sent her a smile back before returning her attention to the speaker.

As the session came to an end and everyone filed out of the conference room, the girl found herself wishing she had come to the earlier ones. It had been a great experience and she had really learned a lot both about the history of art but also different kinds of techniques that she was more than ready to work into her own pieces.

"Hey," chirped Jessica, coming up beside her. She nodded her chin to a table where a line of people were waiting to sign a form. "Are you signing up too?"

Daniela frowned, eyeing the line.

"What's it for?"

"It's an art competition. There are three stages and then the winner gets a big cash prize. Plus it doesn't look too shabby on your college applications. Even if you're not interested in winning it's a good chance to experiment with different styles." Jessica glanced back at Daniela and shrugged casually. "You should sign up."

The girl chewed her lip nervously. She had never entered an art competition before and it seemed somewhat daunting. Daniela was her harshest critic so she wasn't entirely sure if she even had the chops to get past the first round.

With a shrug, she reminded herself that it didn't matter whether she won or not.

Jessica grinned as Daniela walked with her to join the line.

/

Daniela's fingers raked against the spines of the books filling the shelves of the library. After learning that the girl held barely any knowledge on Gustav Klimt, Jessica decided that she would take Daniela to the library to borrow some books on the artist. He was one of Jessica's favorites.

As they perused the shelves, the teen gushed about the romanticism and intimacy in his work that intrigued her and his pushing of the boundaries during his time to the deeper, sexier side of art.

Jessica let out a small 'ah-ha!' when her eyes landed on the book she was looking for.

"Here it is," she announced, pulling it out and handing it to Daniela.

The other girl studied the front cover, seeing a painting of his that she recognized called The Kiss Daniela knew of this one as her Art class had briefly touched on it.

The detail in his work amazed Daniela along with the feeling of intimacy she felt just from looking at the embracing couple. Jessica watched her flick through the pages with a satisfied smile.

"Yeah," nodded the girl, empathizing. "He's pretty extraordinary." Daniela hummed her approval as her eyes stayed glued to the pages.

Her head snapped up when she heard a familiar voice accompanied by another in the next aisle over. Peering through a gap in the books, Daniela's eyes narrowed in confusion at Lip and Karen.

The blonde was perched near the floor, looking for a particular book while Lip trailed behind happily. Daniela wasn't surprised to see them together. She had been more surprised at the fact that it took them this long. Karen and Jody's wedding reception had been a little over two weeks ago.

Daniela pulled her bag strap up higher on her shoulder, a tick in her jaw, and turned to Jessica.

"I think we're done here." The other girl raised a curious eyebrow, her eyes looking between Daniela and the pair on the other side of the bookshelf.

"Do you know them?"

"Kind of, yeah." Daniela didn't bother evaluating her relationship with the pair or more specifically, Lip.

"He's cute," commented the other teen in a whisper. "He your ex?"

Daniela's widened eyes shot to Jessica as she shook her head furiously.

With a shrug, Jessica followed behind a hurried Daniela.

Her legs carried her swiftly past the aisle that Karen and Lip occupied and to the front counter to check out the art book. As they exited the library, Daniela let out the small breath she had been holding.

Jessica looked like she was ready to start throwing out questions but decided against it. The pair shared phone numbers and with a final hug from Jessica, they each made their own way home.

/

Daniela sat comfortably in the faded recliner in the Gallagher living room. Her feet were pressed firmly down on Ian's to assist him as he did sit-ups. She was also currently helping Debbie pick out her outfit for the first day of school.

"Are you excited to be going back, Ella?" The teen snorted at Debbie's question.

"Hell no. I'm just glad it's the last year I have to spend there." Daniela hadn't given much thought as to what she was going to do after she graduated and as the day grew even closer, she found she was completely unsure.

"The first day and how you treat it determines the rest of the school year," explained the young girl when she came down the stairs with armfuls of different clothing.

Debbie held up a top to show Daniela.

"What if for the first day of school I wear this red top with these blue shorts?" She held the clothes against her body before turning to give the older girl a look. Daniela tilted her head, assessing it.

"I like it," she shrugged. Debbie sighed in exasperation, dropping the clothes back onto the sofa.

"That's what you said for all of them!"

"That's because I liked all of them!"

"Must be nice to not get hand-me-downs," piped up Ian, mid-sit-up.

"Maybe I should go with the pink top," thought Debbie, picking up a floral shirt.

"Not stuck with Lip's old crap," continued the boy causing Daniela to let out a low sigh. His grudge against Lip hadn't seemed to lessen at all. If anything, it had gotten even worse.

"You're lucky Fiona's clothes don't fit you yet. Get to have all new stuff."

"Ian," warned Daniela with a frown. Her friend pretended not to hear her, still doing his sit-ups.

"Ian you're not really helping me right now," said Debbie. "And despite Daniela's best attempts, neither is she."

"Hey!"

"Sorry, Ella."

The door opened revealing Lip. His eyes immediately caught onto Ian working out before the eventually drifted to Daniela's face. Her own eyes snapped away at the contact as her stomach did that familiar flip that had now become a regular thing whenever she saw him.

"Good, you're here!" Cheered Debbie, picking up an outfit once again. "What should I wear for the first day? I'm trying to make a good impression for my last year of elementary school."

Lip surveyed the choices and made a quick decision.

"Red top, blue shorts."

"That's what I was thinking too," replied Debbie as Daniela stuck her hand up.

"I said that one was good too." The younger girl rolled her eyes good-naturedly. Lip threw another glance at Daniela and leaned against the couch.

"Karen and I are getting back together." He watched her gaze snap up from her lap to meet his. Ian scoffed, stopping his sit-ups as his friend reigned in her shock and anger.

"I wasn't aware you two were together in the first place. Wasn't it just screwing?" Karen's words from the day Daniela went to see her rang clearly in her mind.

"She ditched Jody. Now I can step up- be a father to our kid." This time it was Daniela who scoffed.

"What's wrong with Jody?" Frowned Debbie as she gathered her clothes together. She sensed that things were going to escalate and she didn't want to stick around to see it.

"He's a tool," was Lip's short reply.

"He's not a tool," denied Daniela, turning her attention to the younger girl with one final glare at her brother. "He's actually a nice guy if you get to know him." She didn't notice the tick in Lip's jaw at her words.

"Oh yeah?" He asked with raised brows. Daniela returned his stare, her eyes narrowed. "You two best friends now or something?"

"No. But I talk to him sometimes and he's always kind." She would see him at work when he was buying groceries or when she passed Karen's house and he was grabbing the mail for Sheila. Lip felt an angry bubble travel from his stomach up through his throat.

"Well he's still a tool and it doesn't change the fact that I'm gonna be there for my kid."

"And how are you so sure the baby's yours?" The boy's face showed his obvious anger at her question.

"I just do," he answered in a clipped tone. Daniela rolled her eyes in response, opting to get up and help Debbie carry her clothes to her room.

Once all of the clothes were packed away, the younger girl sighed.

"You should probably go check on Ian and Lip." Daniela agreed and slipped back down the stairs as she heard a crash along with yelling.

"Hey!" Shouted Peggy as she entered with Carl trailing behind. The boys were still shoving each other all over the place. They finally broke apart at the sound of their grandmother's voice.

"I know what's going on here. Saw it with my own boys. One of the lions has to leave the den," she began, taking a seat on the arm of the couch. "Strongest one has to push the other out or eat him. Only one way to resolve this; somebody's gotta bleed."

"I'll kick your fucking ass," muttered Lip confidently.

"You won't last two minutes," replied his brother, equally as confident. Daniela moved slowly to stand beside Peggy, glancing between the two boys nervously.

"Uh, are you sure this is going to work?" The older woman sent her a knowing smirk and nodded before turning her attention back to her grandsons.

/

The next few days were filled with work, visiting her mother and preparing for the new school year- which she was both anticipating and dreading. With one of the last days of the summer break being a free day for her, Daniela headed over to the Gallagher residence to hang out with Ian.

When she entered the house it was relatively quiet, a strange contrast from the constant buzz and chatter that filled the place. Her nose crinkled as she sniffed the chemical smell in the air. Noticing Carl playing his video game, she frowned.

"What's that smell?" The boy threw her a quick look before turning back to the screen.

"Oh, I blew up mine and Gram's meth lab." His casual tone threw her off and her eyes widened.

Ian and Lip had told her of Peggy's meth lab that ended up exploding and killing a few college students.

With one final wary look at Carl, Daniela headed up the stairs, walking towards the back of the hallway where her friend's room was. She frowned when she saw that no-one was there.

Daniela figured that Ian had probably gone on a secret rendezvous with Mickey; the thought still leaving a sour taste in her mouth despite the growing tolerance she now felt towards the Milkovich.

With slumped shoulders, she turned to head back down the stairs but was stopped by a voice.

"He's not here." Daniela curiously followed the voice to the room she knew to be Frank's.

Her eyes took in Peggy who lay stiffly in the bed, her head barely propped up by pillows.

"Where is he?" Asked the teen, standing just outside the threshold of the room.

"He went over to that pregnant broad's house." The woman rolled her eyes at the thought of her grandson. He was as smart as he was stupid. Daniela's confusion grew even more.

"Ian went to Karen's?"

"No. Lip," answered Peggy as if it were obvious. Realization filled the girl's face until the frown quickly came back.

"Oh! No, no, I was looking for Ian."

"Oh," nodded the older woman, shifting in her bed. "He's already left too. It's Labour Day."

Daniela almost smacked her forehead. She had forgotten about the fight the two brothers had scheduled to determine the 'male Alpha'. She shook her head and surveyed Peggy, noticing the constant look of uncomfortableness on her face as she continued to wriggle around.

"Are you okay?" She asked, already making her way over to help. Peggy waved her away.

"I'm fine," she insisted although they both knew she wasn't. Daniela chewed on the inside of her cheek, moving forward again.

"Here, let me." She gently reached for the poorly propped up pillows behind the woman's head. She sent another cautious look at Peggy. "I'm gonna just gently lift your neck, okay?" The woman nodded stiffly, her eyes closed with barely concealed pain.

Daniela used one hand to carefully hold up her neck while the other got to arranging the pillows more comfortably. She had done this plenty of times with her mother. Easing Peggy's head back down, the woman let out a content sigh.

"Do you have any pain-killers?" Peggy nodded but waved the suggestion off once again.

"They make my head all fuzzy," she complained. Daniela nodded in understanding and dropped the subject, not wanting to pry.

"Is there anything you want me to get you instead? Water? Another blanket?"

"How about you stop pestering me with questions?" Shot back Peggy in annoyance. Daniela nodded once again, going quiet. The woman sighed to herself and flicked her chin to a purse across the room.

"Hand me my purse." The teen did, standing back from the bed once she had handed it over. Her eyes widened as Peggy pulled out a roll of cash.

The woman licked her thumb before taking out a few bills and folding them in her hand. She handed them out to Daniela.

"Here. Go get yourself something nice."

"Um," stuttered Daniela in response. "I can't take that." Peggy rolled her eyes before retracting her hand to place the money beside her.

"Fine, then have some free advice. Hurry up and tell my grandson how you feel about him." Daniela's eyes widened as her mouth gaped like a fish out of water.

"Wha-? I don'-"

"Stop," ordered Peggy, holding up a wrinkled hand. She fixed the teen with a knowing look causing Daniela to sign in resignation.

"I don't know," she confessed, feeling unsure. "There's this whole Karen thing and it's not like it would change anything." Peggy tutted and shook her head.

"You're almost as thick as he is. You really think that pregnant blonde is gonna stay with him? I've seen enough people like her to know it's not gonna last. Lip is the kind of guy to not realize what's in front of him until it literally punches him in the face."

"So," dragged out Daniela with a frown. "You're telling me to punch Lip in the face?" Peggy shrugged her shoulders with a laugh.

"If that's the way you want to do it. Although just telling him is equally as effective." Daniela nodded to herself, still unsure why the woman was saying all these things.

"Why are you telling me all of this?" The woman was silent for a few thoughtful moments.

"These kids have been dealt a shit hand. You're a good person- as nauseating as it is. But they need someone like you around. Especially Lip," confessed Peggy, her hard tone managing to make something so emotional sound anything but. Daniela continued to say nothing, opting to chew on her lip.

Peggy held out the folded-up cash once again. The teen looked ready to refuse until Peggy scoffed and tucked it into her hand quickly.

"I'm not going to be on this earth much longer," said Peggy. "So just take the money. It's not even that much."

Daniela stared down at the bills in her hand; there was about $60. Looking back to Peggy, she smiled softly.

"Thank you." The woman hummed in response and closed her eyes.

"No problem. Now get out. I'm tired." Daniela laughed under her breath at the woman before exiting, closing the door quietly behind her.

Peggy's words rang in her mind as she made her way home. Daniela couldn't deny that they didn't motivate her. Still, there was that thick wall of hesitation stopping her from truly taking the plunge and laying it all out on the table to Lip.

/

A string of elicit words poured out of her mouth the next morning when her alarm went off. Daniela groaned before sluggishly pulling herself up to turn the blaring noise off. It was the first day of her Senior year.

Getting out of bed, she hobbled into the bathroom to freshen up. She rummaged through her clothes to find an outfit she deemed worthy for the first day before heading down for breakfast.

Jakob was already in the kitchen pouring himself a cup of coffee when she finally walked in. Daniela raked a hand through her still-wet hair and grabbed a bowl from the cupboard.

"Morning, Senior!" Grinned Jakob, watching his sister pour herself some cereal. He rubbed a hand over the top of her head before quickly pulling it away to wipe off the wetness.

"You excited?"

"Only because I'm one day close to being out of that place," answered Daniela as she placed a spoonful of cereal in her mouth. Her brother chuckled and nodded.

"Yeah, I was the same. Trust me, you'll miss it when you're my age." Daniela snorted into her cereal.

"I doubt that." Jakob sipped his coffee and placed it back down.

"Things might seem difficult right now but they get a lot harder after that."

"Wow, you make being an adult sound so fun!" Joked Daniela with a grin. Her brother laughed once again, shaking his head and checking the watch on his wrist.

"I better get going." He moved across the kitchen, dropping a kiss on his sister's forehead along the way. "Have a good day!"

After she finished her cereal, Daniela hauled her heavy school bag onto her shoulder and made her way to the Gallagher's. The place was buzzing as it always was during the mornings.

Debbie came down the stairs dressed in the outfit they had picked out a week prior.

"Looking good, Debs," grinned Daniela down at the girl. Debbie smiled brightly back and twirled.

"Thanks, Ella." The teen's eyes moved to the stairs once again, hearing Ian. Her smile dropped to a look of shock at the bruises on his face.

"Holy shit," she breathed, taking a step forward to better look at them. Ian didn't seem fazed. If anything he seemed amused by the whole thing.

"Did you two get out all your frustrations?"

"Yeah," grinned Ian as he made some breakfast. "Lip looks worse." Daniela laughed and looked around the kitchen noticing that Lip was the only Gallagher not downstairs.

"Where _is_ Lip?" She asked curiously. Ian shrugged in response, chugging down some orange juice.

"Probably hiding the evidence of me beating his ass," he joked light-heartedly. Daniela snorted, setting herself down at the table as they all fell into easy conversation.

* * *

Sorry for such a short chapter. I'm still trying to get back into the swing of things.

Also, I had to move the special thanks section to here because of the inflow of readers which I am so thankful for!

 _Special thanks to_ : DominaDeSerpensDorcha, Raging Raven, gossamermouse101, witchbaby300, Guest (1), Guest (2), Spencee98, toxic click, , blue Wren, Amelia Mikaelhey, rromanov, Imprint TL, kaitlyndt, Ender312, jbaby075, Scarlett Franco, Vampireknight1fan, FallenFayth, Stark-ingMad, purpleshampoo, Asha331, lynniev, pinkshirt, XxrudexbutxnicexX, Anonymi Scriptoris, Sierra Weasley, SweetRiceball20, brokensmile23, .Thought, Batmanfood, Rara-Binks, camster540, Padfire, mizzjacqueline7, Winterfellx, Loverofarts99, 3Silvia, Erudessa Luin, Fatgo no Akuma Shimai, Hecate's Flamez24, alvin draper, heythereitsty, peintobi12 and Ashmo21!

 _ **HUGS FOR EVERYONE!**_

 **REVIEW!**


	19. Parenthood

**Chapter 19.**

IT'S DANIELA'S BIRTHDAY!

Obviously, I gave her some great presents. Your guys' present is a monster chapter with lots of deep Daniela and Lip moments!

Hope you all enjoy and don't forget to let me know!

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shameless.

* * *

The new school year had been on for a week and Daniela was already sick of it. Senior year was as difficult as people chalked it up to being. She was buried in homework and with her shifts at the store, Daniela barely had any free time.

As she made her way down the stairs, her nose picked up on the sweet smell of waffles and bacon. Frowning, she entered the kitchen to find her brother plating up some bacon, waffles, and eggs. Jakob heard the shuffling of her feet and turned to her with a wide grin.

"Happy birthday!" He watched Daniela's face fill with surprise. The girl had completely forgotten that she was turning 17 today. Jakob noticed this, laughing to himself.

"You forgot didn't you?" Daniela grimaced in response causing him to shake his head. "Luckily, I didn't." The man grabbed both plates and placed them down on the kitchen table. Daniela slowly sat down in front of one of them. She cut into her waffle and popped it in her mouth.

"How do you forget your own birthday?" Frowned Jakob incredulously, his voice muffled as he ate. His sister chewed on some bacon and shrugged.

"I don't know. It just never seemed that important." There also was the reason that birthdays hadn't been very exciting affairs after her father went to prison despite the attempts of her mother and Jakob to make it a happy day. Her brother picked up on her awkward shifting, placing down his fork and reaching down to grab something under his chair.

"I know this day isn't always easy for you. But hopefully, this will make it a bit better."

Daniela's eyebrow raised as she watched him place a rectangular present on the table.

"No."

Jakob's grin didn't lessen despite his sister's angry look. Still, he pushed it towards her.

"Don't worry about it. This is only the first surprise." Daniela chewed on the inside of her mouth before tentatively tearing the paper off. Her eyes widened causing her brother's smile to increase. "I noticed you were running low."

"What? Jakob... We can't afford these," said the girl, staring down at the case of brand new paintbrushes and paints. Her eyes raked over the case, noticing that they were not cheap.

"Don't worry about that," waved off Jakob. "Besides, I figured you'd need some more if you were thinking of entering this." He pulled out an opened envelope and held it out for his sister to take.

Daniela read the top of the letter and realized it was from the people running the art competition. She looked up at her brother and shook her head.

"It's a nice thought, Jake but these are too expensive. There are other things it could've been used for like paying mom's medical bills."

"That's where the second surprise comes in." Her brother rubbed his hands together in excitement, stretching out the silence dramatically. "I sold the garage."

"What?" Asked a shocked Daniela. Her brother nodded with a happy laugh.

"Yeah, yeah. I got an offer for it a few days ago from these guys looking to expand their business. It was a great offer too- enough to pay off mom's medical bills for another year plus a little extra."

"That's amazing!" Daniela ran around the table to hug her brother, burying her head into his chest.

Breakfast with her brother passed by smoothly with both siblings scarfing down their bacon and waffles happily. Pressing a final kiss on Jakob's cheek, Daniela made her way to the Gallaghers.

When she entered the kitchen, she was greeted with smiles from the family- minus Lip who had barely shown his face at all for a whole week.

"Happy Birthday!" They cheered making Daniela groan, much to Ian's amusement. Her eyes narrowed at her best friend.

"Did you tell them?" Ian raised his hands, feigning innocence.

"It may have accidentally slipped out."

"I hate you."

"You love me," scoffed Ian, pulling her in for a hug. She playfully punched his arm as they pulled apart.

"This is for you, Ella," spoke Debbie, coming up beside her.

"Thanks, Debs." The teen grinned and looked at the homemade birthday card.

She opened it, reading the handwriting of Debbie, Carl and some scribbles drawn by who she suspected to be Liam. Daniela's heart swelled as she closed it before proceeding to hug and kiss all three of them on the cheek. Carl made a grossed out face, wiping at his cheek making her laugh.

"We also made you some cupcakes," announced Debbie, grabbing the plastic container off the counter. The teen took it from her, more than a little surprised.

"How did everyone remember my birthday but me?"

Fiona chuckled and raised an eyebrow. "You forgot your own birthday?" Daniela shrugged with a grimace, taking a seat at the kitchen counter. She watched the Gallaghers buzz around the kitchen.

"Where's Grammy?"

"Frank took her to Sheila's last night because the fumes from the meth lab explosion were aggravating her emphysema," answered Ian. Daniela had found out about Peggy's lung cancer the first day back at school when Ian had told her. She felt bad for the woman who was no doubt in extreme pain.

Ian nudged her and directed his head to the door. She nodded, grabbing her backpack to put on her shoulder.

"You two are leaving early," observed Fiona curiously.

"I have a study group for Chemistry before school," answered Ian with a shrug. Fiona nodded in acceptance, wishing Daniela a final happy birthday before they left.

Daniela and Ian walked to the end of the street together. At the corner, she threw her friend a wink and smirk.

"Have a good study session with Mickey." Ian blushed at her jibe, causing her to throw her head back in a laugh. "I'll see you at school."

Muttering a response, Ian and Daniela parted ways.

/

Daniela stood at her locker, grabbing her books for her first set of classes when a pair of hands came up to cover her eyes.

"Guess who?" Spoke a warm voice she instantly recognized.

"Simon?"

He chuckled and pulled his hands away so she could turn to look at him. The boy wore a small grin as he pulled out a box decorated with ribbon.

"You didn't," deadpanned Daniela in annoyance. Simon nodded nevertheless, thrusting the gift into her hands. "I regret telling you my birthday."

She unraveled the ribbon with a sigh and a final look of disapproval. Her eye's widened when she pulled out the small present.

"I saw it when I was in Denver and you've said how you always wanted to get out of Chicago so I thought this could be some inspiration. Who knows? You could start a collection," explained Simon happily.

It was a small snow globe with the city of Denver depicted in it during the winter. Along the bottom of the globe was the name of the city. Daniela shook it with a small grin, watching as the snow flakes fell.

Looking back up at Simon, she threw her arms around him.

"Thank you. I love it." She pressed a friendly kiss on his cheek, laughing when she saw the hint of a blush though she knew it was just because Simon was still not used to female attention.

"Also my mom wants you to come over for lunch this weekend to celebrate your birthday," admitted Simon with an eye roll. Daniela chuckled to herself and nodded.

"I'd love to." The boy gave her one last nod and a promise to text her more details later before he left for his next class. Daniela smiled down at the snow globe.

Spinning around, she came to a stop when she saw Lip standing across the hall.

His icy-blue eyes caused a fire to erupt in her belly at the sight of him. He watched her with an unreadable expression and Daniela couldn't help but notice the slight tick in his jaw though she wasn't really sure why.

Lip sent a glare in the direction of where Simon had gone before turning back to the girl who slowly made her way toward him. Daniela felt almost nervous as she stood in front of him. He had been out of school for a whole week causing her to almost forget what he looked like. The blue eyes tousled blonde hair and disheveled clothing; all key characteristics that made up Lip Gallagher. All that was missing was the cigarette that hung limply between his lips.

"Wow," she finally said to break the silence between the two. "You actually showed up. I thought you were dead or chasing dreams of becoming a hermit."

An infamous smirk tugged at Lip's mouth as he stared back at her; the tick in his jaw lessening at the sound of her voice.

"Wasn't planning on coming," he shrugged casually. "Fiona and I made a deal; she gets her high-school diploma, I get mine." Daniela nodded, more than a little surprised that Fiona would be walking around school now. Lip's attention drifted to the snow globe in Daniela's hand.

"What's that?" He grumbled making the girl raise an eyebrow at him.

"A snow globe."

"No-I know that. I meant what's it for?"

"Oh. It's my birthday," answered Daniela with obvious disdain. Lip stared at her in surprise.

"Your birthday?" At the girl's nod of confirmation, he sucked on his teeth. He noticed her dislike of the topic, feeling his curiosity rise. "What? You don't like your birthday?"

"Not really, no."

"Why's that?"

"Reasons," shrugged Daniela vaguely, diverting her eyes. She more than noticed that Lip's curiosity increased even more. Not wanting to get into it, she sighed and smiled at him. "I guess I'll see you in Physics then."

Daniela made her way to class but had only taken two steps when she heard Lip speak again.

"I'm not taking Physics." She halted in her steps before spinning quickly on her heel.

"Why's that?" She echoed, this time incredulously. Lip looked like he didn't want to get into it either as he shoved his hands into his pockets.

"I'm taking more hands-on classes so I can get a job and provide for Karen and the baby." Daniela didn't hold back her scoff, crossing her arms over her chest to glare at him.

"Really? We're going to have this argument again?" Lip turned his head to the side in annoyance.

"How about we just don't?" He suggested angrily, feeling his own temper rising. "I'm late for my Shop class." Lip breezed past Daniela leaving the simmering girl standing there.

The bell rang out signaling that she needed to hurry to class.

/

Physics was her last class of the day and she was already drained. Her Biology test had taken a lot out of her, leaving her barely paying attention in class. However, thanks to Lip's tutoring, Daniela found it much easier to understand the lessons.

She settled down at one of the desks in the classroom, leaving the seat beside her empty. Usually, it was Lip who would occupy it but not anymore.

Daniela was mentally cursing the boy when she saw a figure sit down beside her out of the corner of her eye. Narrowing her eyes in confusion, Lip gave her a silent glance before resting his forearms on the desk.

"Ah, Mr. Gallagher. So nice of you to finally join us," berated Mr. Davis from his position at the head of the class. Lip waved casually at him, glancing around at all the eyes on him.

"Wouldn't miss it."

Mr. Davis grumbled under his breath but was silently glad to have his star student back.

"I trust your fellow peers will assist in catching you up with all of the work you missed." Lip tossed a quick smirk at Daniela before nodding at his teacher.

Daniela waited until the teacher was in the middle of one of his long spiels about the universe before she leaned towards Lip.

"Thought you dropped Physics," she whispered in a sly tone. Lip shrugged back at her, angling his head towards hers so he wouldn't have to speak as loud.

"My guidance counselor is forcing me to take it."

"He's smart then."

"He's a guidance counselor at a crappy public school," scoffed Lip, catching the attention of a few students. "He can't be that smart."

"Maybe he just recognizes potential," shrugged Daniela casually before tuning back into Mr. Davis. Lip's eyes continued to stay on her in silent observation.

His mind drifted back to earlier that day when he had spotted her and her friend standing in front of her locker. He had been more than a little annoyed as he observed their interactions and he clearly remembered his fists subconsciously clenching as Daniela placed a gentle kiss on the boy's tinged cheek.

Lip wasn't sure if the two of them were a thing but the thought of it caused an angry bubble at the back of his throat. He knew that they often went out together and shared a few classes. He had passed Daniela's friend on his way to lunch and didn't hold back the vicious glare he sent the boy.

Once Mr. Davis had assigned them with a few questions to do, Lip decided to take this opportunity to ask her about it.

"What's going on with you and that Perkins guy?" Subtlety was never Lip's strong suit. The question caught Daniela- who had been deep in her work- off guard.

"Simon? Nothing, he's a friend." Lip nodded to himself.

"So you're not together?"

"No," confirmed Daniela firmly. She was curious as to why Lip was even wondering. "He nearly kissed me but I didn't want to."

"Why's that?" Frowned Lip, barely maintaining an even tone.

 _Because I like you and it's really frustrating._

"I didn't like him that way," answered Daniela simply whilst ignoring her niggling thoughts. Lip seemed to find the answer he was looking for as he continued his work.

"Why are you psychoanalyzing my relationships anyway?"

"Just wondering," was Lip's short reply. Daniela watched him curiously for a few moments before shaking her head and finishing her work.

/

Daniela bit into one of her birthday cupcakes from Debbie, her eyes resting on the pages of Ian's chemistry book. Fiona wiped soap bubbles off of the clean dishes before putting them away in the cupboard.

"How come you're not at the hospital with your mom?" Asked the woman, putting a dried plate away. Daniela licked the frosting from the corner of her mouth.

"She just finished another round of chemo this week and was still feeling a little weak so we're going to see her tomorrow night," she answered, peeling away the paper cupcake liner. Fiona grimaced sadly at the teen.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Ella." The woman reached over to give her hand a comforting squeeze. Daniela managed a small smile before continuing to eat her yummy cupcake.

Wanting to change the subject, Fiona asked Ian to quiz her on her GED test. Ian read the first question before reciting the answers.

"That one," said the woman confidently as she fussed around the kitchen.

"It's a multiple choice question. You don't wanna hear the other options?"

"It's that one," repeated Fiona, bringing a pot of water to the boil. "Hey, Mickey Milkovich came by earlier looking for Frank, all sweaty. Isn't he working at the store while you're at school?" Daniela saw her friend shift uncomfortably.

"When he shows up."

"Why's he looking for Frank?"

"Probably getting high together," suggested Ian before dropping his pencil and grabbing his coat. He looked at Daniela and she could see the worry in his eyes as he threw his head towards the door.

"Dinner's in 15 minutes," called Fiona, noticing them leaving.

Ian nodded and pulled his coat on. "We're just gonna head out for a little while." Daniela followed him out, waiting until they got down the street before Ian told her anything.

He came to a stop five houses down from his own, pacing back and forth on the sidewalk.

"Frank caught me and Mickey this morning," he blurted, chewing nervously on his nail. "And now Mickey and his brothers are gonna kill him."

Daniela gaped at him. "That's a bit extreme don't you think?" Ian nodded his head like he thought the same thing.

"Mickey won't let it go."

"Mickey needs to calm down and realize that this is Frank we're talking about. He probably forgot two minutes later."

"That's what I told Mickey but he doesn't care. He's scared that Frank will tell everyone and that his father will find out." Ian was a bouncing ball of nerves as they made their way around the block.

"Frank won't give a shit," sighed Daniela. "I'm pretty sure Frank's tip-toed over that line before and he's too busy dealing with your Grandma or drinking to care about all of that crap." Ian laughed dryly.

"Try explaining that to Mickey." Daniela tutted and placed her arm through his. They walked around the block, just clearing their minds and getting some fresh air before heading back for dinner.

/

"Accretion onto a stationary black hole has been solved analytically only under the assumption of spherical symmetry." Mr. Davis' words drifted through one ear and out the other as Daniela focused her attention on the doodles she was drawing in her book.

Glancing to the left of her, she observed the distracted look on Lip's face. He was paying about as much attention to the class as she was.

"Who used the Newtonian treatment of accretion?" Daniela averted her eyes from the teacher, not wanting to be the one that got singled out. Mr. Davis skimmed over the classroom, stopping on the boy beside her.

"Mr. Gallagher." At the sound of his name, Lip finally peeled his attention away from the trees outside.

"What?" He frowned, not hearing the question.

"Do you know the answer?" Daniela could practically see the gears in his head formulating a smart-ass response.

"Uh, I believe the answer to that question- like the answer to most questions- is fuck you." The girl's eyes shut with a sigh before she angled her head to send him a dark look. Lip's temper continued to rise as Mr. Davis turned to the rest of the class for the answer.

"How about you, Miss Kaufman?" Her eyes snapped quickly to her teachers awaiting ones. "Newtonian Accretion?"

"Uh," she fumbled, not knowing the answer at all. Turning to her textbook, she skimmed over the words for a clue. Lip elicited a gasp from her when he roughly shoved the desk away.

"No really. The answer is fuck you!" The next thing she knew, Daniela was scrambling away from the shattered window caused by Lip throwing a chair into it.

The rest of the class followed her example, shifting to the other side of the room, away from a fuming Lip. She stared with wide eyes as he wiped the back of his hand over his mouth before quickly leaving the room.

The class was dismissed shortly after that, with the janitor and the principal filing into the room as they left. Daniela paced down the hallway, hell-bent on finding Lip. She sent a quick text to Ian explaining the situation and asking if he knew where his brother would go.

It was surprisingly not that far; in fact, it was the roof of the high school.

He was puffing on a cigarette when she got to the top of the ladder. Looking out, she understood why he would choose this place to come and think. It was peaceful.

Lip sat with his back to her, his legs dangling carelessly over the edge of the building. Daniela moved slowly to sit beside him, holding up a hand to shade her eyes from the sun.

"You know you're probably going to get expelled for that, right?" Lip chuckled dryly, taking another inhale of his joint.

"Like I give a fuck."

"What's up with you lately?" Frowned Daniela seriously, turning to look at him. He didn't meet her gaze.

"I don't give a fuck about finishing school and getting my diploma. I need to provide for Karen and the baby."

"And you think being a high-school drop-out is gonna help you do that?" Accused the girl. She angled her body towards him, waiting for him to look at her. "Lip, you actually have what it takes to make it out of this shit-hole we call a home. And you're gonna throw it all away because you suddenly _gave up_?"

"You could do it too," he finally spoke, twisting his smoke between his pinched fingers. "Get out of here." A bitter laugh bubbled in Daniela's throat.

"How? I'm not smart like you." Lip tilted his head as if he didn't quite believe that.

"You have your art."

Daniela snorted. "That's just a hobby. It's not gonna get me anywhere." She placed a single finger onto his temple. "But this? This will."

Lip's eyes flicked over her face, his expression unreadable.

"I don't wanna be the breadwinner for everybody," he confessed quietly, watching as the sun's rays kissed her tanned skin. "Ever since they saw that I could read some books and understand what the words meant, they looked at me like I was the fucking golden goose. Like I was the one they were relying on to get them out of this dump." Lip shook his head furiously.

"That's not gonna be me. I'm not gonna go to college and graduate and get a good job just so that I can pay their bills and buy them all nice houses. So everyone needs to stop looking at me like I'm their fucking golden ticket out of here."

Daniela stared at him as the silence between them re-appeared. Lip's eyes pulled away from hers to once again look out over the neighborhood. His jaw sat tightly clenched and she knew that he was feeling vulnerable- that opening up wasn't the easiest thing for him to do.

"I didn't know you felt that way," hummed Daniela thoughtfully. Lip chewed on the inside of his mouth, his frown lessening as she placed a gentle hand on his knee. "You don't have to be the breadwinner, Lip. But you can't just throw away all of this potential either; otherwise, you'll just stay stuck here in this place for the rest of your life with all of us."

Lip's eyes trailed slowly from her hand, to settle on her face.

"Would it really be that bad?" He shrugged after a moment, smirking lightly. Daniela huffed a laugh with a head shake.

"We both know the answer to that question." A vibration in her pocket alerted her of a text message. Checking the screen, she saw that it was from Fiona.

"Your sister is looking for you," she told Lip with a smile. The boy rolled his eyes, flicking the ash off of his cigarette. "You coming to Carl's game?"

He shook his head as he breathed out the smoke clouds. "Nah."

Lip noticed Daniela's look of disappointment as she stood up from her spot and felt a pang of guilt. With a shrug, she sent him a half-smile that managed to make Lip's chest clench.

"See you around then."

"Hey, Daniela," called Lip; the sound of his voice saying her name causing a pleasant chill to run up her arms. She looked over her shoulder at him, seeing him butt out his cigarette. "Don't tell Fiona you saw me here."

She nodded slowly in response. Flashing him a final wave, Daniela made her way back down the ladder.

/

"Go Carl!" Cheered an excited Debbie as she watched her brother tackle another player to the ground. Daniela grinned out at the field, seeing the boy talk smack to the player he had driven to the grass.

Climbing the bleachers, she noticed a flustered Fiona continuously throwing glances at her cell phone.

"Hey, Fi," greeted the girl as she came to sit beside her. The older woman managed a small smile at the sight of her. She leaned forward to rest her elbows on her knees, raking a hand through her wild hair.

"I don't suppose you've heard from Lip?" She asked Daniela. The teen shook her head with a frown.

"The last time I saw him was in Physics when he threw a table through the window," she lied easily. "No idea where he got to after that." Fiona heaved a tired sigh and Daniela could see the bags under her eyes.

"Lip got expelled," revealed Fiona in disappointment. Daniela had been expecting it but it was still shocking. "Luckily, his guidance counselor managed to get him into a new school."

"That is lucky."

"Yeah, and he better not fuck this one up either," warned Fiona seriously as she watched Carl bump someone with his shoulder. Daniela looked out to where he stood as well, frowning when she saw Steve standing there.

"Why's Steve here?" At the mention of her ex, Fiona rolled her eyes.

"He's their new coach."

"Does he even know how to play football?" Asked Daniela skeptically and Fiona shrugged. The pair sat in silence before Fiona spoke again.

"Debbie told me that you went with her to the North Side." The teen closed her eyes with a sigh.

"I'm sorry, Fi," she apologized. "I know I should've told you sooner." Fiona shrugged her shoulders, not phased.

"It's okay, Ella. All water under the bridge." The two shared a smile as they heard footsteps making their way towards them.

"Ooh, my ears are burning," joked Steve, plopping down beside an annoyed Fiona and Daniela narrowed her eyes at him.

"Shouldn't you be down there? You know, coaching?"

Steve waved a hand in dismissal. "Nah, they've got it all under control." The three of them all watched as another boy was tackled harshly to the ground by Carl. Steve turned back to them with a smile. "See? All under control."

Fiona scoffed, rolling her eyes and getting up from her spot. The man watched as she walked down the steps to stand beside Debbie near the field. Steve looked crestfallen.

"Your whole trying to 'woo' her thing isn't really working," commented Daniela as the man sighed.

"I don't know what I'm doing wrong here!"

"There is a slight chance that it has to do with the fact you lied about who you really were and that you're married. Just a thought."

"Yeah," nodded Steve sadly. "That's a good possibility." His eyes watched the woman for a few more moments before he shook off his grim mood.

"Anyways, did you hear the good news?"

Daniela frowned at him. "What?"

"I bought your garage!" He announced happily.

"That was you?" She asked incredulously as Steve tilted his head.

"Well, technically the guys I used to work for bought it. They were looking to expand their business to this side of the city but needed a place to operate out of. So, naturally, I suggested your guys' garage. They made the final decision to buy."

Daniela stared at him with narrowed eyes. "If you went through all of that just to get me to put in a good word with Fiona you're dead wrong." Steve laughed with a shake of his head.

"I didn't. But, now that you mention it, I would appreciate if you did." Daniela snorted back a laugh but shrugged.

"I guess I could say something to her." Steve excitedly pumped his fist in celebration. Jumping up from his seat, he straightened his cap.

"Let me know what you want for your birthday and I'll get it for you," said the man brightly before heading back down to the field. Daniela smiled, noticing Ian making his way up to her. It didn't take her long to notice his grim expression.

She waited until he had dropped down beside her before asking what was wrong.

"Mickey's gone back to juvie." Daniela's eyes widened.

"What? Why?" Ian sniffled and rubbed a hand over his nose.

"Because of me."

"Oh Ian, I doubt that." Her best friend shook his head, disagreeing with her.

"He couldn't go through with killing Frank so he punched a cop in the face to break his parole. Mandy called me just before and told me that he's back in juvie." Daniela wrapped a comforting arm around his shoulder as he rested his head on hers.

"It's not your fault, Ian. Mickey knew that he couldn't kill Frank because no matter how fucked up Frank is, he's still your father- well, technically he isn't," she trailed off. "But you get what I mean. He couldn't risk losing you over Frank so he did what he thought was right."

"It still fucking hurts," murmured Ian after a moment, feeling the familiar burn he got in his nose before he would cry. Daniela rubbed his shoulder, pulling him closer.

Though their situations were much different, Daniela couldn't help empathizing with her best friend. She pined for Lip but understood that no happy ending would come out of her feelings for him. She felt stupid just thinking the words.

Lip was on a downward spiral, willing to throw away his future just for the sake of Karen and this child that- despite his hopes- was probably not his.

Yeah, she felt really stupid.

/

"So how's that art comp going so far?" Asked Jakob as they made their way through the hospital lobby towards the elevators. They had stopped by the gift shop to pick up some more flowers for their mom.

Daniela shrugged, adjusting her grip on the flowers. "I'm still trying to think of an idea for the first theme."

"What is it?"

"Torture," answered the girl as they stepped in.

"Jeez, that's a bit morbid," chuckled Jakob, standing back while the doors closed. They came to a stop on their mother's level and made their way to her room.

Camille woke from her nap, sensing her two children entering. Daniela could see the obvious differences in her mother's appearance. She looked thinner, her face looking particularly gaunt.

Jakob squeezed her hand gently, taking a seat beside her bed. Camille smiled at the two of them and gestured weakly for Daniela to come hug her. The girl was careful as her mother's arms enveloped her.

Pulling back, Camille placed a kiss on her cheek.

' _Happy birthday my baby girl,'_ she signed.

Daniela grinned at her mother, pressing her lips to the woman's forehead. Jakob lifted up the bag he had brought along, rifling through in search of something.

"Ah-ha!" He cried, his hand holding a party hat. Leaning forward, he placed it on his mother, watching as her shoulders shook with laughter.

Jakob procured two more hats from the bag for himself and Daniela. The girl was a little less enthusiastic about putting it on, rolling her eyes as her brother forced it on her.

"It's my birthday!" She moped childishly, pouting her lips.

"Technically it's not," pointed out her brother. "Yesterday was your birthday. This is just a delayed celebration."

Daniela rolled her eyes in response and Jakob soon left the room in search of a lighter. He returned shortly with two of Camille's nurses following behind him.

"Happy birthday to you," sang Jakob trying his best to intentionally sound off-key. The noise grated on Daniela's ears but still she smiled at him.

One of the nurses wheeled over a hospital table so that he could place the cake down.

"Make a wish, sis." Daniela looked up from the cake to her mother who sat watching her contently. The woman seemed to be glowing and Daniela wanted it to last forever.

Closing her eyes, she leaned forward and blew out the candle.

/

"Night, sis," yawned Jakob as he made his way up the stairs to his bedroom.

"Goodnight!" Called Daniela from her spot on the sofa. The television played in the background while she brainstormed ideas for her entry in the competition. Her pencil scribbled down thoughts.

Her phone vibrated on the coffee table, interrupting her thought process. It was from Ian.

 _Lip's gone._

Daniela frowned down at her phone, her teeth subconsciously chewing on her lip. She was in the process of texting a worried reply when there was a knock at the door. She figured it was Ian coming to explain things to her.

"Ian- oh." Daniela halted when she saw Lip standing on her front porch. She observed the rucksack on his shoulder that was hastily filled with clothes.

"Nope. Not him," said Lip, his voice gruff. He shrugged a single shoulder. "Fiona kicked me out."

"Really? Why?"

"She wanted me to go back to school but I told her I wasn't going to do it. Then she gave me the ultimatum of going back or leaving, and I wasn't going back so..." Lip's voice trailed off leaving a surprised Daniela to connect the dots. She sighed and leaned against the door frame.

"I'm sensing you want something?" Lip twisted his mouth and shrugged again.

"Can I stay the night?" Even though she knew he just wanted a place to sleep, Daniela still felt the flutter of butterflies in her belly. "I would go to Karen's but things are a bit difficult ever since she asked me to go to these adoption interviews with her."

Daniela chewed on her lip, not entirely sure if she trusted herself to let him into her house- especially after what happened the last time. But Jakob was home, so nothing could happen and it was just for the night.

"Just for tonight," she finally agreed. Lip blew out a breath of relief and moved to head inside. Daniela stopped him quickly. "My brother's upstairs so you'll have to be quiet."

"I was always good at sneaking in and out," smirked Lip cheekily making the girl roll her eyes.

"Yeah, I know." Lip's smirk lessened at her reference to that night and the morning following that. "Also, you'll have to stay in my room tonight because Jake's home."

Lip nodded, not minding at all.

She stepped out of the way to let him in, heading into the lounge room to switch the television off before nodding her head up the stairs.

When she looked back at Lip to see if he was following, his attention was focused on the lounge room. Knowing why, she gulped and continued up the stairs.

"This way," she whispered before leading him to the opposite side of the hallway and into her bedroom. Lip took in the room silently, his eyes skimming over the desk cluttered with paints and pencils.

Daniela filed through her drawers to find some pajamas. "I'm just gonna get changed." Lip nodded before going back to looking around the room. The differences between her room and her brother's were easy to see. Whereas Jakob's room looked like it was only used as a place to rest his head, Daniela's felt incredibly lived-in.

The chipped paint on the wall was a soft lilac color with bigger chips being covered with posters of movies and also a few old boy-band members.

He would have to remember to tease her about that another day.

That familiar anger grew in the back of his throat at the sight of the snow globe she had gotten from Simon for her birthday resting on her wooden desk. Lip hadn't even known it was her birthday but apparently everybody else did.

Daniela didn't seem to care, though, in fact, she was almost happier that he hadn't made a big deal out of it. It made him wonder why she didn't enjoy the day.

His hand grazed over the top of her desk, rolling pencils and pens as he did so. It came to rest on a photo frame.

Holding it up Lip saw who he assumed was Daniela's mother with a younger, smiling version of the girl and her brother Jakob. It was probably the happiest he had ever seen Daniela. Sure she smiled but it never quite reached her eyes.

"I think that was taken on my fifth birthday," spoke the girl as she came to stand beside him. Lip jumped at her voice and turned awkwardly to her.

"Uh- I was just..." he trailed off as she flashed him another one of those not-quite-there smiles.

"It's okay." Lip handed the frame to her, watching as she placed it back down.

"You look like your mom." His chin nodded to the photo as Daniela breathed a laugh.

"She used to say I looked like my dad." Lip noticed the sudden shift in her behavior at the mention of her father.

"I don't remember ever seeing your dad around."

"You wouldn't have," sighed Daniela, moving to sit on the edge of her bed. "He wasn't around much. Spent most of his time at the garage."

"Is that why you don't like your birthday?" Asked Lip tentatively. He wasn't sure he should be asking but he was too curious to stop. She knew so much about him and his family but he knew almost nothing about her. Lip found that he wanted to know more about her.

Daniela's eyes dropped to her shuffling feet. "It's a bit more complicated than that."

Seeing that having the attention on her caused her to feel uncomfortable, Lip cleared his throat and rubbed his hands on his knees.

"I'm just gonna go use the bathroom." Daniela nodded and watched him go. She clenched her eyes shut, hating how guarded she was being. The girl shook her head, mentally telling herself to loosen up a little.

Standing up, she pulled the covers on her bed back as Lip came back in. He watched her plop down on one side of the bed and Daniela was suddenly thankful she had upgraded to a double over the holidays. Lip chewed on the inside of his mouth.

"Oh please," sassed Daniela with an eye roll. "It's not like we haven't slept together before." She closed her eyes at her poor word choice, her embarrassment making Lip smirk once more. He thought she was cute when she got flushed. His thoughts made him do a mental double-take. "You know what I mean."

"Who said I had a problem with it?" Quipped Lip, heading to the other side of the bed, tugging at the hem of his shirt. Daniela's eyes widened.

"What are you doing?"

"I can't sleep fully clothed. I get overheated," explained Lip having already taken his shirt off and currently working the button on his jeans. Daniela was trying to decide whether or not she wanted to look away.

Her eyes scanned over his back gratefully, enjoying the dip in his spine and the definition of his shoulders. Blood rushed up her neck, to her cheeks once again.

"This is just for the night, remember? If my brother finds you in here, I'm dead." Lip laughed quietly at the legitimate worry in Daniela's voice.

"Don't worry. I know." He laid beside her on his back staring up at her roof. "Thanks for letting me stay here for the night."

Daniela's shoulder shifted. "No problem." Her eyes met his and she suddenly realized how close they actually were. The realization wasn't missed by Lip either, his own gaze dropping to her mouth.

Clearing her throat, Daniela rolled over onto her side with her back towards him. She let out the breath she had been holding in.

"Turn the lamp off, please." Lip switched it off, feeling a shred of disappointment at the sight of her back to him. "And keep your dick to yourself. I don't wanna wake up with something poking me in the back." Another deep laugh fell from the boy's lips as he settled into the bed; the rich sound making Daniela smile.

"Can't make any promises."

Daniela was grateful that the lights were off because she was sure she had turned beet red.

* * *

Please accept this huge chapter as forgiveness for my slacking.

 _Special thanks_ to Alina, ebonbon, blu Wren, Raging Raven, Guest, SweetRiceball20, toxic click, Margaux, gossamermouse101, Ashmo21, Exultant, Garrawolf, Pandahhh, jjnnrr, sorryitsalex, daynicole6232, Bayk, UzumakiRein, jericamichele, UniqueMe, Aelthar101, Concrete Bubbles, javspy, YanniMae and GennysGotAGun!

 **REVIEW!**


	20. Hurricane Monica

**Chapter 20.**

What's this? An update? Truly shocking.

Also, I am the least artistic person so I apologize in advance for the crappy art talk.

Enjoy and please let me know what you think!

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shameless.

* * *

The first thing Daniela noticed when she woke up the next morning was the arm slung around her side and the warm, foreign body pressed against hers. The initial shock quickly wore off when she recalled that the warm body was Lip. Tentatively, Daniela twisted her head over her shoulder to peer up at Lip's sleeping face. A small smile lit up her face as she took in his peaceful expression.

He had taken his shirt off before getting in bed, leaving her with a lovely display of his bare chest. Her eyes moved to the simple triangle tattoo inked into his skin, her fingers itching to trace it gently.

"Dani!" The shock of Jakob's voice startled the girl, her head whipping to the door. She heard her brother's footsteps moving up the stairs behind her closed door.

"Shit," cursed Daniela as she slapped Lip's arm. The boy groaned in annoyance, moving to bury his head in her pillow.

Daniela rolled her eyes, ignoring the way her stomach flipped at the sight of his tousled bed-head and instead punched him in the arm.

"Fuc-!" Lip's yell was quickly silenced by Daniela's hand over his mouth. He narrowed his eyes at her, half angry, half asleep. The girl didn't waste any time explaining as she rolled him off the bed and hurried him over to the closet. She had just locked in a grumbling Lip when her brother knocked on her door.

"Yeah?" Jakob opened the door- clad in boxers and his training shirt- and stuck his head in, catching his sister standing with her hands on her hips in front of her closet.

"What was that sound?"

"What sound?"

The man frowned oddly at his sister. "I thought I heard a thump."

"Oh," Daniela pretended to recall. "You scared me awake and I ended up falling off my bed." She wasn't sure if she was clearly frazzled but her excuse must've worked because it caused her brother to chuckle.

"Sorry about that. I was just wondering if you knew where my black pants were?"

"I put them out on the line yesterday," answered Daniela, leaning against her closet doors. Lip must've realized what was happening as he remained quiet. Either that or he had fallen asleep again.

"Right, thanks." Jakob grinned at her, pulling the door handle back towards him. "I'll see you after school." Daniela nodded back with a smile, her nerves still high at almost being caught.

She waited two minutes for Jakob to get his pants and the sound of his truck pulling away from the curb before breathing a sigh of relief. Opening the closet doors, she was met with Lip's raised eyebrow.

"That's not usually how girls wake me up in the morning." Daniela rolled her eyes at him, waving a hand for him to leave the closet.

"I don't even wanna know," she grimaced with a shake of her head. Lip's smirk grew.

"You sure? I can tell you if you want?"

"Positive." Daniela tried to her hardest but couldn't help the small grin on her face. The boy beside her noted her reaction smugly, feeling a swell in his chest. Letting out a breath, Lip took a seat on the edge of her bed and watched as she looked around her closet for a coat.

"So what are the plans for today?" The girl sent him a look over her shoulder.

"School. You know? That place you got expelled from?" Lip made a disgusted face at the reminder of his now-former school. Daniela saw this and laughed. "What about you?"

"Karen wants me to go with her and meet this rich couple who want to adopt the baby." At the mention of the blonde, Daniela's mouth twisted. She noticed Lip's almost sad tone as he spoke of the adoption.

"You don't want her to give the baby up?" The boy simply shrugged.

"Not really up to me is it?"

"Fair point." Daniela grabbed some clothes and a towel hanging off the back of her door, her sudden shift in attitude confusing Lip.

"You okay?" The girl spared him a quick glance and nodded.

"I'm fine." Lip rolled his eyes at her back, understanding that the universal girl code for 'I'm fine' meant the complete opposite.

He raised from his spot on her bed, moving to stand beside her. His chest was nearly pressed up against her back. The familiar feeling of her body pulled against his echoed in Lip's mind.

His hand came to rest gently at her wrist before twisting her around slowly. Daniela's arms hung limply at her sides, the coat she had chosen barely hanging from her fingers. When she looked into his eyes, she was shocked at what she saw.

Lip's eyes were warm with emotion she had never experienced before. Under the actual worry for her, Daniela spotted something else.

"What's wrong?" Asked Lip once again, softer this time. Daniela felt lost under his gaze as her stomach flip-flopped like a pancake. She wanted to tell him the truth. Now was her chance.

"Nothing." She chickened out, her mind chastising her for it. Lip slightly deflated at Daniela putting her walls up against him. She stepped back from him, creating space between them. "I'm gonna have a shower. Help yourself to breakfast." Daniela grabbed some clean clothes and deodorant.

"Need any help in there?" Lip called after her, grinning to himself when he heard the sweet sound of her laughter. There they went again, slipping back into their normal routine.

/

After parting ways with Lip later that morning, Daniela met up with Ian outside his house. On their way to school, he recounted the drama that had happened between Fiona and Lip that resulted in his brother leaving home.

Throughout the story, Daniela hummed and nodded along-feigning shock when she had to- pretending she hadn't already heard all of this from his brother the night before.

"So Monica showed up again this morning," said Ian bitterly. Daniela raised a surprised brow.

"How long do you think she'll stick around this time?"

Ian snorted. "A week. Tops."

"Who's Monica?" Frowned Mandy, strolling beside them and frightening the two in the process.

"My mom," spat Ian, quickly recovering. "She's back."

"She sticking around?"

"Never does." The topic of conversation soon changed to Lip, with Mandy seeming extra curious about where he was. Daniela narrowed her eyes at the girl, wondering why.

"He probably spent the night at Karen's,"said Ian as they headed into school and Daniela kept silent. "You see Karen is like cancer. You kill it in one spot and it pops up in another."

"That's a very accurate analogy," hummed his best friend. She knew that if she didn't say anything at all, Ian would grow suspicious considering she was never quiet about her opinion of Karen. On the other side of Ian, Mandy fidgeted with her hands; something the other two teens picked up on.

"You okay?" Asked Ian. Mandy snapped her attention away from her fingers to offer a small smile to her friend.

"Yeah." Accepting her answer, the redhead then turned to his best friend.

"Hey, have you heard from Lip?" Both Mandy's and Daniela's eyes shot to Ian, the Milkovich glaring slightly.

Frowning, the older girl shook her head. "Nope. The last time I saw him was yesterday at school."

The boy nodded, somewhat deflated.

Daniela's curiosity grew. She knew that fidgety lost behavior she had seen on Mandy. Hell, she often experienced it herself. The girl knew it was no small coincidence that Mandy had suddenly gone quiet at the mention of Lip and Karen.

Thinking back to Debbie's sleepover, she remembered seeing the girl sneaking glances at Lip. A knot twisted in Daniela's stomach as she realized that she wasn't the only one hung up over Lip Gallagher.

/

Daniela decided to spend her lunch inside to work on her art piece for the competition. Her art teacher had been thrilled at the news that she was entering and encouraged her to use the art room and its supplies as she wished.

She frowned at the blank canvas in front of her. She didn't like forcing an idea out of her head, choosing instead to let her inspiration flow out of her as it came. Unfortunately for Daniela, there didn't seem to be any.

The theme for the first round was 'torture' and while she could've gone with the obvious choice, Daniela wanted to be a bit more vague.

The book on Gustav Klimt that Jessica had shown her sat to the side of her, propped up on a stool. She had been flipping through it for inspiration.

Sighing, Daniela decided to just dabble with the paints and see where they took her. She opted for warm colors; reds, yellows, oranges.

Beginning with a deep red, she moved her brush in a single line over the canvas. She continued like this for the remainder of her lunch break, her brush strokes varying between gentle to harsh. Painting was a getaway for Daniela. Whenever she had the chance to or if her mind was too busy, she would pull out her paints or scrapbook and let it all flow out.

Daniela's mind had been particularly clogged as of late. Frustration at herself for not telling Lip how she felt, along with anger at him too. She also felt guilt. Guilt for not telling Ian about any of it. He was her best friend who had confided in her about his relationship with Mickey despite knowing the troubled past their families shared.

Meanwhile, she had been growing closer to Lip- her best friend's brother- and hadn't said a word of it to him. Lip had unknowingly affected her in a way she never thought he would and Daniela didn't know what to do about it. Any chance of a relationship with him seemed futile with Karen around.

Daniela knew about Lip's deep feelings for Karen. She knew that he would follow her to the ends of the earth if it meant Karen would give him the time of the day. He had been visibly upset that morning when he told her about the adoption. Lip pictured himself raising a child with Karen in their own little dysfunctional family. That was something Daniela didn't fit into.

Her eyes flicked once again to the book beside her. It was flipped open to a page depicting the image of one of Klimt's popular pieces; The Kiss. She knew it was cheesy- she hated herself for thinking it- but Daniela couldn't help the jealousy she felt as she looked at the embraced couple. It almost felt...

As if a light went off in her brain, Daniela hurriedly grabbed a fresh canvas. She had just begun painting the first few lines when the bell rang out in the classroom.

She jumped at the sound- the loud ringing knocking her out of her sudden inspiration. Groaning, she quickly packed up her things and rushed to class.

/

Daniela tried to keep in contact with Lip over the next few days, sending him the occasional text to check up on him. His responses were always quick and brief, telling her that he had taken up residence with Steve and Estefania. The girl attempted convincing him to go home to his family but he wasn't having any of it. He had even threatened to stop replying to her if she kept going on about it.

Shooting him a quick reminder after school that Carl had a game that afternoon, Daniela and Ian headed home.

"Has Frank claimed Peggy's body from the morgue yet?" Ian shook his head at the girl's question.

"Nope. Him and Monica keep going on about how expensive it is." The pair walked through the back entrance straight into the kitchen spotting Frank and Monica. Daniela had yet to see the woman after she resurfaced.

"Oh, Ian!" Beamed Monica. She moved to kiss the boy's cheek but was quickly denied. Her disheartened eyes turned to Daniela with recognition.

"It's nice to see you again, Daniela."

The girl simply nodded back. "Monica."

"I made some cookies if you two are hungry?"

Ian scoffed, making his way to the fridge. "Oh, so now we're square for you abandoning us and everything?"

"Hey!" Butted in Frank. Sensing things would escalate, Daniela casually changed the subject.

"You going to Carl's game, Monica?" She eyed the woman's cheerleader outfit paired with face paint and pigtails. Monica nodded, smiling brightly.

"What about you two?"

"I always go to Carl's games because I actually give a shit." Ian's snide remark earned him a glare from Frank who was quick to defend his estranged wife. Her friend brushed off his father's words, tugging Daniela up the stairs to his room to hang out before leaving for Carl's game.

/

"What did Monica say to you earlier?" Asked Daniela lightly as they climbed the bleachers. Ian sighed in resignation, dropping unceremoniously on one of the seats.

"Frank told her about Mickey. She asked me if I wanted to go with her to some gay bar she went to with Bob."

"You thinking about going?"

Ian shrugged. "Why should I bother?"

"The way I see it," began Daniela, waiting for her friend to look at her. "You should go- enjoy however much time you have left with your mom before she up and leaves again." Ian chewed on his lip in thought for a few moments. His gaze moved to his mother who stood next to the field cheering on his little brother.

"Lip told me." Daniela's voice broke him out of his thoughts and he frowned at her in confusion. "He said you and Monica were really close- that you were her favorite." At Ian's dry laugh it was her turn to frown.

"No, no." The boy waved off her claim with a chuckle before sobering. "I wasn't Monica's favorite. Lip was." Ian nodded at his friend's surprise and rubbed his hands together for warmth.

"Yeah, he was always the golden child. Monica doted on him the most so when she eventually took off he kind of just shut everyone out." The ginger eyed his friend suspiciously. "He told you it was me?" Daniela nodded in silent confirmation making Ian tilt his head in confusion.

Fiona then came up to them with some homemade posters they could hold while they cheered Carl on. Daniela noticed her friend slowly warming up to his mother, even joking around with her.

They were in the middle of watching Carl run down the field when Daniela's eyes caught onto Lip's figure making his way towards him. Debbie ran to her brother, quickly wrapping her arms around his torso as he dropped a kiss on her head. When he spotted Daniela, he flashed her a rugged grin. It slipped when his eyes shifted to Monica.

"Lip!" Smiled the blonde, gesturing with her pom-poms. "Come sit with us!"

The boy scoffed a laugh and addressed Daniela in annoyance. "You didn't think to warn me she was here?" He then narrowed his eyes at his smiling family. "What? I'm off the boat for one minute and there's a fucking mutiny?"

"No-one told you to get out," argued Fiona.

"Actually you did."

"Come on now," butted in Monica, continuing to wave her pom-pom. "Don't be mad at Fiona."

"Hey, Monica- shut up. Like most of my life, this has nothing to do with you." Daniela stood up from her spot on the bleachers.

"Come on Lip," she tried. He eyed her in thinly-veiled anger. Maybe she should have mentioned that Monica had returned. Lip waved a tired hand at her.

"Not you too. I can't believe you're falling for her crap!"

"Don't be a dick. Come and sit down."

He shook his head at her in disbelief. "No. I am not hanging around her." Lip jutted a finger at his mother.

Monica fumbled with her pom-poms as her son began arguing back and forth with Fiona. The frustrated boy sent Daniela one last look before turning and leaving. Fiona called out after him but to no avail.

Falling back into her seat, she pinched the temples of her forehead. Daniela felt eyes on her and met Ian's gaze. His raised eyebrow conveyed that they were more than definitely going to talk about this later.

Sighing, she turned her attention back to the game, just in time to see Carl- blissfully unaware of the drama that had just done down- tackle another player to the ground.

When the game was over Daniela texted a quick apology to Lip and made her way down the stands. Ian was already waiting at the bottom beside Monica. The pair were obviously talking about their plans for the night and when the woman glanced at Daniela she gasped as an idea popped into her head.

"Daniela, why don't you come along with me and Ian?" The girl looked at her friend to see him shrug.

"I don't know. That's not really my scene."

"Oh come on. Have some fun with us!" Monica placed her arm through Daniela's, clutching it in excitement. "I thought the same thing about myself at first, next thing I know I'm with Bob." At the sight of Daniela's continuing hesitance, she clicked her tongue.

"At least come along for a little while. Let loose, you know?"

Daniela looked to Ian for help and at her friend's nod she relented.

"Sure," she smiled at Monica making the woman squeal gleefully. She looped her other arm through Ian's, pulling the two teens closer to her.

"This is gonna be so much fun." The two friends shared a small laugh with each other over Monica's head.

/

"Me and Bob used to come here," explained Monica as he led the two teens through the nightclub. Daniela was a little astonished at how easily it was to talk their way in. "It's a cool mix of gay, lesbian, bi and cool breeders."

Daniela frowned. "Cool breeders?"

"It's a little weird being out with you," said Ian glancing around the place uncomfortably.

"Hey, you don't think we'll get carded do you?" Monica waved Daniela's question off with a laugh.

"Doubt it. You two are the bread and butter of this place." She subtly pointed out a few women eyeing the girl and older men throwing glances at Ian. "Places like this need fresh meat to bring in the older men."

Daniela averted her eyes quickly from a woman by the bar staring at her in a silent appraisal.

"Yeah, I think I'm just going to go find a table to sit." Monica caught her arm before she could get far, pulling her back with a grin.

"Uh-uh! I don't think so missy. You're dancing with us!" She pulled Daniela's arms, moving them to the beat of the music. Ian chuckled at his friend's face and joined in, taking one hand from his mother to dance on the other side of her.

Daniela threw her head back with a laugh, slipping into an easy rhythm with the other two. As they danced Monica urged Ian to forget about Mickey and let loose. Slowly, Daniela saw the woman's words take effect on him and the hunch in his shoulders lessen.

When they all felt their throats dry Monica headed to the bar to get some drinks while Ian and Daniela took a seat at a nearby table. Ian let out a low breath of exhaustion, reclining on the seat. He eyed his friend who pulled out her phone to check it. Lip was ignoring her. She seemed dejected by what she saw and typed another text.

"You okay?"

Daniela's head popped up. "Yeah." Her tone betrayed her.

"You texting Lip?"

"No! Why would you think that?"

Ian smirked wryly and shook his head at her. "Come on, Ella." He leaned over to gently shove her shoulder. "I'm your best friend, just tell me." Daniela fumbled a little more with her fingers.

"Lip and I..." Her voice trailed off. Ian raised an eyebrow in suspense. "We almost slept together- well technically we _did_ sleep together but we didn't have sex."

For a moment Daniela thought her friend had turned into a statue. He stared at her, a look of disbelief on his face.

"When did this happen?"

"Um...the night he found out about Karen and Frank." Daniela chewed on her lip as her friend continued to process it all.

"How?"

"You were working that night so he showed up at my house half-drunk and fully pissed-off. He told me what had happened so we talked over a bottle of Jakob's whiskey. Then, well. One thing led to another." She shrugged and Ian narrowed his eyes, the gears in his head turning.

"That was months ago!"

" _Yeah_." She rubbed the back of her neck and sighed in defeat. "I'm sorry. I know I should've told you but I didn't think anything would change."

"And?" Prodded Ian.

"Well."

"You like him." It wasn't a question.

"Yeah," Daniela nodded somewhat guiltily. "Stupid right?" She gulped. "You're not mad are you?"

Ian chuckled. "Why would I be mad?"

"I don't know. Because it's Lip and we both know how he is."

"Honestly, I'm not that surprised," admitted Ian with a shrug. Daniela frowned at him. "I always suspected something changed between you two after Monica showed up last time."

Speaking of the woman, Monica finally reached them with their drinks in hand. She placed them down cheerfully and Daniela pounced on hers, her throat feeling even drier now.

Monica sat down beside Ian and grabbed her own glass. She threw it back quickly before slamming it down on the table. Wiping the back of her hand against her mouth, she whipped her eyes between the two in excitement.

"Who's ready for round 2?"

Daniela shook her head. "No thanks. You two go." She looked back down at her phone and Ian sighed.

Squeezing her hand he said, "We'll talk more about this later okay?" With a nod from his friend he turned to his mother and ushered out onto the dance-floor again.

Daniela opened her phone, her eyes skimming over the text she had just sent Lip.

 _I'm really sorry_

Monica came back to sit with her ten minutes later, chest heaving. She giggled as she slid down beside her.

"Where's Ian?" Asked Daniela. Monica pointed to the bar.

"He's getting us some more drinks."

"Will they even serve him?"

"If he smiles enough." Monica huffed another laugh under her breath and turned to Daniela. Her expression suddenly became very somber. The woman played with her hands on top of the table. "I wanted to thank you, Daniela."

The girl raised an eyebrow. "For what?"

"Taking care of Ian. He told me you how you two met after I had left." She reached across and placed her hand over Daniela's. "I'm really grateful."

"They're family," shrugged Daniela, the word making Monica's face fall even more.

"I know you don't think much of me, I understand that. But I mean it when I say I'm sticking around this time. I want to make things right with my kids." The woman glanced over at Ian working his charm on the bartender. Daniela did the same, a sad smile on her face.

"I hope you're right Monica. For their sake." Monica wiped a few tears from her eyes and rubbed Daniela's hand in gratitude once more.

/

They stopped at the grocery store on the way home to pick up some beers. When they entered the house they spotted Frank and Estefania.

"Who's this?" Asked a grinning Monica.

"Steve's wife," answered Ian as he placed the case of beers down.

"Oh! The Brazilian."

Debbie, Carl and Little Hank came in through the front door carrying donuts and fried chicken. Daniela quickly grabbed a drumstick and bit into it with a moan. She hadn't eaten since lunch.

Frank put on some music, cranking up the volume and encouraging everyone to start dancing. Daniela was exhausted from their night out, wanting nothing more than to collapse in bed and sleep. She even considered just falling asleep on the sofa she was sat on.

Unfortunately for her, Ian grabbed her hand and pulled her up.

"This is not okay," said Fiona from the bottom of the stairs. Frank made a noise of disapproval as she moved over to the radio before surprising all of them and simply changing the station to something more modern. Recognizing the song as a personal favorite, Daniela swayed to the beat slowly.

"Why the hell weren't we invited?" Everyone looked to Veronica with Kev following behind with a bottle of vodka. He moved past them into the kitchen to whip up some drinks.

Daniela's yawns grew more insistent. Ian noticed and pushed her up the stairs telling her to go sleep in his room. She nodded and sluggishly climbed the stairs.

Her eyes moved from Ian's bed to Lip's bunk. Telling herself that Ian would want his bed to himself, she climbed to the top bunk and laid down. She rolled onto her side, eyes drifting shut; the comforting smell of Lip easing her to sleep.

* * *

Yooooo! She finally told someone!

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you who are still reading this story or giving it a chance. Also a special shout out to those people who read all 19 chapters in one sitting. That's one of the most gratifying things an author can hear and it really made me work harder to get this out there.

 _Special thanks to_ : Rae, Berryx, demonicseer, January Raines, Nightingale'sLullaby, austingirl101, Guest, gossamermouse101, Alina, blue Wren, itsjuliaaaa, toxic click, x NikiSt x, UzumakiRein, viohanna, harl3yg1rl, Void Impala, degrassilovelive101, inescc, BlackShooter17, mermaidcakee, kd123, freeminds4all, nataliaivette1, Witch-in-Tardis, seeking-a-great-perhaps, amaliesofie, TheCatalystx, Luckygirl1013, javspy, shadygrl91, koolabbyg, Thetkdgirl15, Please Ignore This (sorry), hawknv, kankananime123, nycsinger16, robeccaluangaphay97 and Dark-Hunter1992!

 _Mwah!_

 **REVIEW!**


	21. A Great Cause

**Chapter 21.**

We're really getting down to the business end of the season now. I also realized how close we are to 100 reviews and that excites and shocks me at the same time.

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shameless.

* * *

Daniela was stirred awake the next morning by a loud bang followed by yelling. Wiping the sleep out of her eye she climbed down from Lip's top bunk. She paused on the stairs when she heard Monica's shout.

"What the fuck Milkovich?"

She popped her head down the stairs to see Terry Milkovich pounding into Ian on the kitchen floor. Aiming a hard kick at the man's shoulder, Daniela struggled to pull the man off of her best friend.

"Get the fuck off me you crazy bitches! This isn't about you."

"Frank what the hell did you do?" Daniela contemplated biting down on Terry's neck to get him to stop but he kept throwing punches. She was sure Ian's nose was broken by now. Monica finally managed to pull Terry onto his back as Daniela rushed to check on her friend.

"My Mandy's pregnant!" Terry fumed, his body slumping in exhaustion. "And this little shit is gonna pay!"

Daniela whipped her eyes to Ian who was in far too much pain to express his feelings. On the other side of the kitchen floor, Frank gave his son a proud thumbs-up making her scoff. She turned her attention back to Ian, analyzing his bloodied face.

"You." Daniela switched her attention back to Terry to see an accusatory finger pointed at her. He clearly recognized her and she found she was more than a little scared. Her eyes widened in fear, watching as the man was about to start up another tirade before Monica thankfully stepped in and shoved him out of the house.

The woman leaned against the closed door, exhaling deeply. She let out a quiet cry at the sight of Ian and rushed to him. The boy wiped at the blood on his face as his mother placed her hands on his cheeks.

"That bastard." Monica took over the caring duties, grabbing a wet cloth and wiping his face clean, checking to see if there were any damages to his nose. Daniela stood back and watched, allowing her to do her motherly duties.

It was the first time she had seen Monica be so caring and despite what her brain told her, she couldn't help but feel that the woman was telling the truth when she said things were different this time.

With a kiss to Ian's head, Daniela left to freshen up at home before going to work.

/

She really wasn't surprised with what she found when she arrived at the store. The front window had been smashed- most likely with a brick and the metal security gate had been bent at the top.

Heading inside, Daniela swore under her breath at all of the items knocked off shelves and scattered over the floor. Amongst it all stood Linda, clearly rattled. Daniela moved towards her.

"Linda? Are you okay?"

The woman shook her head, almost quivering. "They came in ten minutes ago. Terry said it was a message to Ian." She narrowed her eyes at the teen. "What the hell did he do?"

"Mandy's pregnant so they think Ian's the father."

"Well if this happens again he's fired." Linda rubbed her temples. Daniela eyed the woman's swollen belly. "I've called a few friends from the mosque to come and help out. They should be here soon."

The pregnant woman took a seat in the back, resting her aching feet. Daniela got to work cleaning up. Grabbing a broom, she went out front to sweep up the broken glass.

She was just finishing up when she heard Ian behind her.

"Jesus Christ," he muttered under his breath. Daniela swirled around, nodding in understanding.

"You should see the inside." Ian groaned, opening the door and surveying the chaotic mess. She followed behind, resting her head on the top of her broom.

"Is Linda okay?" He finally asked, his throat clogged with guilt.

"She was in the store when Terry and his boys busted up the place- left a message for you. She's a little shaken up but overall she's fine." Ian nodded to himself in relief. "You heard from Mandy?"

"No." he shook his head. "Won't answer her phone."

Daniela twisted her mouth. Her friend fidgeted with his hands, eyes zipping around the store. Walking forward, she rested a hand on his shoulder and offered him a reassuring smile.

"Try not to worry. We'll get in touch with Mandy and get her to call her dad off." Ian shook his head, sucking on his teeth.

"It's not that simple, Ella. This is Terry Milkovich we're talking about."

Daniela's smile became sadder. "Yeah. I know."

Realizing that she did indeed know, Ian sighed and closed his eyes. "Shit, Ella. I'm sorry."

"It's cool," she shrugged it off. Wanting to rid the dark cloud over their heads, Daniela whacked his behind with her broom. Ian hissed in pain, glaring at her. "Hurry up and help me clean."

/

"You guys can just put that down there." The two men followed her instructions, resting the large wooden board against the door. Glancing over her shoulder, Daniela did a double take when she saw Lip approaching them.

"Hey." Her voice was soft. Lip pulled his eyes away from the damage to simply give her a once-over before passing by to enter the shop. Daniela's smile fell and she chewed on her lip. He was clearly still mad at her.

"Those skinheads again?" Lip asked his brother. Ian glanced at him as he placed cans back on the shelves.

"Mandy's dad. Heard the news."

"You and Mickey?"

"Mandy. Pregnant," Ian answered followed by a short silence from Lip.

Daniela moved to the back of the store where all the produce had been knocked to the ground, tuning out of their conversation. So this is what it felt like to be on the other side of being ignored. She found she hated it.

The two brothers finished up their conversation, Lip walking towards the door but not before stopping for a second to send a long look in the girl's direction. She didn't look up from the tomatoes splatted on the ground until the bell rang over the door. Ian sighed in exasperation.

"What?" Daniela frowned blankly causing her friend to roll his eyes.

"Go."

Her eyes flicked to the door Lip had just exited through. Dropping her bag of ruined tomatoes, Daniela jogged after him. Lip hadn't gotten too far, only a few feet away.

"Lip!" She was shocked at his instantaneous reaction to her call, halting his movements. He shoved his hands in his pockets, peering over his shoulder to see Daniela walking towards him.

When she finally reached him he gave her a look that indicated she should say what she needed to quickly.

"I texted you." Her lame words made Daniela mentally cringe. She felt like a clingy girlfriend- something she most definitively wasn't.

Lip nodded. "I got them." His nonchalance affected her, causing a bubble of irritation to grow in her chest. "Is that all you needed to say because if so I need to be somewhere."

Daniela didn't miss the use of her own words against herself and she laughed under her breath.

"I'm sorry, Lip. I know I should have warned you about Monica showing up. I guess it just slipped my mind and I forgot how big of a deal it was." The boy clenched his jaw, looking out across the street. "I would never try to hurt you intentionally."

Daniela watched hopefully as he chewed on the inside of his mouth, pondering over his own thoughts for a few moments.

"I know you wouldn't." The previous harshness in his voice had disappeared, replaced with something softer.

"So, are we okay?"

"We're okay." Daniela couldn't hold back the growing smile, Lip huffed to cover up his own. "I actually do need to go though but I'll talk to you later." With a quick squeeze of her forearm, he continued off down the street.

"I'll text you!" She called out when he's a dozen steps away. He signaled that he heard her by showing her a thumbs up. "You better reply this time!" Lip smirked back at her, eliciting a laugh.

When she walked back into the store, Ian was waiting with a sly grin.

"Shut up," she glared childishly only making him throw his head back in laughter.

Ian raised his hands in defense, his eyes still smiling. "I didn't say anything."

/

That night she got a mysterious text from Lip telling her to meet him outside the Milkovich house the next morning. She showed up a little past 9 o'clock, hands buried in her pockets to fight the biting cold.

Daniela frowned when she spotted both Ian and Lip crouched behind a car opposite the house.

"What's going on?" They both shushed her and she made a big show that there was no-one else in the street. Lip tugged her down gently beside him as Ian began to explain.

"We're gonna plant Grammy's gun in the house so Mandy's dad can be arrested and sent to jail. We just need to wait until he leaves and then we'll sneak in and plant it."

Suddenly the nerves in Daniela's throat grew. She had never stepped foot inside the Milkovich house- why would she even want to? After the bad blood literally spilled between their families. Her breathing grew heavier, grabbing the attention of the boys.

"Hey, you okay?" Asked Lip, his tone concerned. Daniela nodded with a gulp and both her friends saw through it. Ian was the first to realize why.

"Shit. Ella, you don't have to do this. If you're not comfortable." The girl shook her head defiantly.

"No, I'm fine. I'll just stay out here and be your lookout in case he comes back earlier than expected."

"It shouldn't take too long for us to plant the gun," piped up Lip but he didn't completely shoot down her idea. "Though it can't hurt." Daniela smiled gratefully, her breathing returning to normal.

Ian made a sound, pulling their attention to the house to see Terry Milkovich leaving. Lip took notice of the sharp intake of breath from Daniela when she saw the man, shifting his hand to cover hers. Her eyes looked down at the contact and then back up to him.

Checking to see that Terry was far enough away from the house, she ushered the boys out from behind the car.

Not even a minute later, Daniela spotted the imposing figure of Terry walking back to the house. Whipping out her phone, she called Lip.

" _What's up_?" He finally answered.

"Terry's back. You two need to get out of there right now." She heard him curse and say something to Ian. Her wide eyes watched as the man opened the door to his house.

"Guys!" She yelled at them, this time, more urgently. Faintly, Daniela picked up on the angry, confused voice of Terry followed by Lip telling his brother to run. She hung up after that.

Daniela raked her gloved fingers through her hair, her mind debating over what to do. She was more than a little scared to run into the house and face the Milkovich. On the other hand, she didn't want to just cower behind the car while her friends ran for their lives.

"Come on, Daniela. You can do this." Her muttered words of encouragement began to work and with a determined slap on the car, she made her way towards the house. She didn't want to go through the front door so instead, she crept around the side of the house to the back where a window was already open.

Suddenly, Lip came flying out the window, splatting on the ground.

"Where's Ian?" Spoke Daniela, her voice tinted with concern. The boy got up and dusted himself off.

"He must still be inside." Cursing, Daniela climbed through the window noticing Lip following closely behind. They stealthily maneuvered around the house, trying to be as silent as possible. It wasn't hard to find Ian, the angry yells of Terry Milkovich making it easy for them to track them to the kitchen.

What they weren't expecting to see was Mandy brandishing a shotgun, aiming it at her father.

"The fuck you doing?"

"Let him go," she demanded.

"The little shit broke in!"

Lip, lagging behind, finally came to a stop beside Mandy. "He's not the father!" Daniela didn't miss the split second look he shared with Mandy.

"Just tell him the truth."

She frowned to herself, her brain coming to conclusions she hoped weren't true. Daniela tried to convince herself that all he meant was that Ian wasn't the father. Still, a small niggling thought stuck in the back of her head.

"He already knows," said Mandy through gritted teeth.

"The fuck I do." Terry aimed his gun back at Ian's forehead and Daniela used all of her being to refrain from going wild on the man. Her friend's fearful eyes flicked between both Milkovich's.

"I told you who's it is! Let him go, Dad." Mandy grew angrier with every word. "This is between us." A stunned silence enveloped the kitchen.

"Your dad?" Accused Lip in confusion but he quickly shut up when Mandy aimed the shotgun at him instead.

"Say one more word and I'll blow your brains all over the fucking linoleum." Her narrowed eyes turned to Daniela, realizing she was there too. She clenched her teeth, hating that she also knew.

Daniela didn't show her pity, knowing that Mandy would despise it. She didn't want to set the girl off. Mandy seemed to appreciate the indifferent expression the other girl gave her. Slowly, she lowered her shotgun and turned back to her father.

"Come on, dad," she urged, her voice growing softer.

Terry's shoulders slumped in defeat as he wiped a hand over his face. Mandy moved to him, resting a hand on his shoulder and pushing him out of the kitchen and to his room. Daniela hid behind Lip when he passed by though the man was far too lost in his thoughts to notice.

When Mandy returned, her expression had hardened once again. She eyed each of them as if daring them to say anything about what just happened. Daniela and Lip headed to the door, Ian trailing behind.

"Hey guys," he called out. "I think I'm gonna hang back."

Daniela nodded in understanding. Lip did the same.

"Okay, we'll see you later." He sent another look to Mandy before tilting his head at Daniela to the door.

The pair walked side by side, each with their hands in their pockets. Lip pulled out his fresh pack of cigarettes while Daniela chewed on her lip. She pondered whether to bring her suspicions up. She didn't want to sound insecure when there really was nothing to be insecure about.

However, she couldn't let it go; her mind wouldn't let allow it. Knowing her brain wouldn't shut up about it until she did ask, Daniela finally cracked.

"What did you mean when you told Mandy to say who the real father was?" Lip's stride faltered but he covered it up by lighting his cigarette. He released the first cloud of smoke in a low sigh. It was enough to confirm Daniela's suspicions.

"You two had sex." There was no question in her voice. Lip didn't say anything, only wiping a thumb over his mouth. Finally, he nodded and Daniela felt her nose burning. Hating her hormones, she swallowed her emotions with a wry laugh. "Of course."

"What?" She wanted to hit him in the chest and yell in his face but he still wouldn't understand. Instead, she shrugged and made her steps longer.

Lip frowned after her, sensing the change. He pinched the bridge of his nose.

"What is it now?" He questioned, walking behind her. "I thought we had sorted all our shit." Daniela stopped, dropping her head to her chest. Her eyes clenched shut with a sigh.

One side of her brain told her that she had no right to be angry and act out this way. The other didn't seem to care, encouraging her to act however she wished to.

 _Besides,_ her brain said. _It's not like he knows how you feel._

Daniela finally looked over her shoulder at him, guilt in her eyes. Lip just frowned in a mix of confusion and concern.

"We do," she said, releasing a long breath. "It's just." Her voice trailed off. Daniela shook her head asking herself if she's really going to do this right here, right now.

Lip had already come to stand behind her, waiting for her to turn around fully. His eyes were intense like they were hanging onto every word she said. Daniela laughed dryly under her breath.

"I can't believe I'm actually saying this."

 _No going back now._

"I like you, Lip," confessed Daniela.

As soon as the words were out of her mouth she wanted to shove them back in again. Things would never be the same between them. Although, things had never quite been the same ever since they kissed- at least not for her.

Daniela glanced away from Lip, afraid to see his look of rejection. She knows it's coming and slowly she feels her wall go back up.

"Which makes me an idiot because you're you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lip spoke for the first time but his voice lacked any defensiveness. He couldn't think of what to say.

Daniela narrowed her eyes at him as if he had two heads. "Up until five minutes ago, you thought you had knocked up two different girls!"

Lip tilted his head in acknowledgment. "Okay, but let's spiral back to the part where you said you liked me." Daniela made a noise of exasperation as he studied her. "When you say _like_?"

"As in I'm attracted to you." Lip couldn't help his small smirk. "I'm not saying I have a crush on you. I refuse." He opened his mouth to speak but she quickly cut off any smart-ass remark he had.

"Don't worry. I'm not dumb enough to think this 'confession' is gonna change anything. I know you're hung up over Karen and I would rather not get involved." Lip's smirk faded, replaced with that hard frown again.

"So I don't get to say anything about this?"

"Like what?"

Lip shrugged, causing the girl to roll her eyes.

"I'll text you later." She left him standing on the corner of the street, knowing that he was going in a different direction than her. This didn't stop Lip from watching her go, his forehead still creased.

/

Lip was still on Daniela's mind later that afternoon as she got to work baking some brownies. Ian had come by after talking to Mandy and told her that they were going to have a fundraiser for Mandy's abortion. Daniela knew they weren't cheap and agreed to make something.

She decided that she would make two types of brownies; the regular kind and a special batch of pot brownies. She still had the bag of weed she had procured from Kev's marijuana plants earlier that summer.

The thought of it brought up an image of Ethel. Daniela smiled sadly to herself. The postcards and letters had slowed down but they continued to come. At least once every few months, Ethel would write a letter to Daniela, detailing her latest journey with Malik and their children. The teen wouldn't be surprised if she received a letter one day saying they were expecting.

"Something smells good," noted a voice behind her. Daniela smiled at her brother who was staring at the oven.

"I'm making brownies."

"Ooh, can I have one?" His hand reached out to the first batch cooling on the counter. Daniela slapped the hand away.

"They're for a fundraiser. So if you want one, you'll have to pay." She eyed her brother expectantly, grinning when he pulled a few dollars out of his back pocket. "You can take three."

Taking a bite, Jakob savored the taste. He ruffled her hair. "Because you're my sister and I love you, I'm going to ignore that bag of weed because I think what you're doing is really nice."

Daniela laughed. "Thank you."

"Don't think things will be the same once I'm a fully fledged cop." She pretends not to notice her brother sneaking another brownie as she gets back to work. It's the least she could do.

She had just finished putting the batch of pot brownies in the oven when her phone began to vibrate. Her heart raced at the name on her caller ID.

"Lip, what's up?" Daniela asks, trying to sound as casual as possible.

" _Did you know Monica spent all the squirrel fund money_?"

"No. I didn't notice anything when I was there." Lip made a noise of frustration.

" _Well, she did. And now she's in jail so I have to go get a refund on all these friggin dolls she bought Debbie to bail her out. Carl's there with her too."_

Daniela's eyes widened as she leaned against her kitchen counter. "Carl got arrested too?"

" _No, just Monica. But Carl was with her so they're holding him there until someone comes to get him_." She could hear his short puffs of breath as he paced around. Daniela chewed on her nail.

"I can go down there," she offered and the short puffs of breath on the other side slowed down. "Keep him company until you can come get him."

Lip nodded to himself on the other side of the line. " _Yeah. Yeah, that would be good_."

"Okay, I'll see you down there." Daniela hung up and instantly began to clean up as much as she could. She cursed when she remembered her brownies baking in the oven.

Yelling out orders to Jakob and texting him to make sure he got them, Daniela grabbed her coat and made her way to the police station.

/

Her breathing was ragged by the time she arrived and Daniela took a moment to catch her breath. She had run from the L to the station, not wanting Carl to be alone in the holding cell for much longer. On the train, she had messaged Ian asking him to pick the brownies up from her house.

She made her way to the front desk, bracing her hands on the counter. "Hello. I'm here to see Carl Gallagher. I heard he was brought in a few hours ago."

"You family?" Asked the woman with a raised eyebrow. Daniela didn't hesitate to say yes. The woman nodded and rose from her desk. "Follow me."

She led her down to the holding cells where Daniela spotted Carl sitting on a seat. Her eyes widened at the blood on the boy's face. When he saw her, he ran to wrap his arms around her.

"Ella," he muttered against her side. Carl clung to her like he didn't want to let go and she wondered what the hell happened to him. Though she knew Carl liked her, the boy never once hugged her.

"What happened to his head?" Daniela asked, looking back at the officer.

"Car crash. The officers that found them said he was in the driver's seat."

"Well, did a doctor check on him?" Daniela gently placed her hand's on the sides of Carl's face, inspecting.

"We got a first-aid officer to. There's a high chance he has a concussion so I wouldn't let him fall asleep."

"Hey!" Yelled a voice, making all three heads turn to the cell where Monica sat, chained to the chair. "Let me out of here!" The officer sighed and looked back to Daniela.

"That one hasn't shut up since they brought her in." The teen stared at Monica with disappointment.

"Yeah I doubt she will." The officer shook her head at the woman before leaving Daniela behind. The girl walked Carl over to a chair and got him to sit down.

"How're you feeling, bud?" The boy groaned and shook his head. "Want me to get you some water?" Carl nodded.

She didn't take long, returning with two plastic cups of water. Handing one to the boy, she plopped down beside him, watching as he sipped on the water.

"What happened?" She asked after he was finished.

"Monica wanted to go for a drive. Promised I could drive if I wanted to." Carl's voice was no louder than a mumble. "The boom gates at the train tracks went down and I couldn't reach the brakes so I swerved into a pole."

"Jesus," breathed Daniela, her anger rising. She was furious at Monica for letting him drive. The woman continued to yell threats at the other officers, threatening to set her lawyer on them. Carl stared at her, visibly upset.

"Hey," Daniela said softly. "Forget her. Just block it out. Lip should be here soon to get you out of here." Carl nodded, leaning his head against her. Daniela stared down at him in pity.

Wrapping her arm around him, she placed a kiss on the top of his head. Not wanting Carl to fall asleep, they fell into idle conversation until she saw an officer walk through with Lip trailing closely behind.

His eyes caught hers instantly and Daniela saw the anger in them. She didn't blame him, she felt the same. Carl lifted his head from her at the sight of his brother.

Lip walked towards them, grabbing the back of his neck and kissing his head like Daniela had done. He crouched in front of him.

"We're gonna get you out of her, bud." Promised Lip, waiting for his brother to nod back.

"You feel powerful locking me up?" Spat Monica. She hadn't kept quiet the whole time. Daniela had even pondered asking the officer to sedate her. "I'm not invisible. I'm right here!" Carl stared blankly at his mother.

"Block it out, remember?" Reminded Daniela, raking a hand over his shaved head. She felt Lip's eyes watching her and swallowed, not daring to meet his gaze.

"Bail's been paid," he finally said to Carl. "We can go home now." The boy nodded, slowly rising from his seat.

The officer that escorted Lip in made his way to the door of the holding cell and unlocked Monica's handcuffs. As soon as they were loose, she shot up, wobbling on her feet.

"You assholes think you're so powerful. But you're not."

"Oh shut it, Monica." Lip's tired outburst miraculously made her quiet. They watched as her face shifted before the first tear started falling, followed by hundreds more.

Lip sighed under his breath and moved forward to wrap an arm around his mother's side.

Daniela stayed silent as he led Monica out of the cell and in front of them, his hand rubbing circles on her back while Monica cried into her hands.

"I'm a shitty mother." Lip shushed her while Daniela and Carl followed behind. "I am."

Daniela sat beside Carl on the train ride home, his hand curled into hers. She stared across at Lip who had his arm wrapped around his mother's shoulders.

Monica's tears gradually slowed down until she just slumped against her son. He rested his head back against the train window and Daniela caught a glimpse into what the Gallagher family looked like when Monica was still around and Daniela wasn't.

The whole thing nearly made her cry right there on the train.

/

When they enter the house, Daniela is shocked at the utter disarray it's in. The living room was bare, all of the furniture pushed into the kitchen. Frank, who was sat on a lone couch looked up from his bag of coke.

"Ah, I see you managed to bail your mother out of jail."

Lip rolled his eyes at his father and wrapped Monica's arm over his shoulder so he could carry her up the stairs. The woman's energy had disappeared entirely and Lip basically had to support her weight the whole way home.

Daniela ushered Carl up the stairs and led him into his room. He had also been quiet the whole way home, only talking when his brother or Daniela asked a question.

"Monica's gone bad again," he said as he climbed into bed. Daniela sat across from him and frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"Her bi-polar."

"Have you seen her like this before?" Carl nodded, his eyes on the ground. She could almost see some sort of memory replaying in his head.

Not knowing what to say, Daniela kissed his forehead. "Try to stay awake as long as possible." The boy gave her another nod before she stepped out of the room.

At the same time, Lip stepped out of Frank's room where Monica was. Daniela crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the wall.

"She still not talking?" Lip just shook his head. She saw his fists curl up as the silence took over again.

Clearing her throat, she said, "I better get going." Lip walked with her down the stairs to the lounge where Frank still was, snorting a line. Daniela shook her head at him. The closer they got to the door, the more she hoped he would say something.

When they reached the door, Daniela turned to him with a soft smile.

"Goodnight," she said, eyes roaming over Lip who was stood at the bottom of the stairs. He looked drained.

"Wait." Daniela paused and slowly rotated, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "About what you told me."

"Lip," she cut him off gently. "Now's not really the best time."

"You're right," agreed Lip with a nod but he didn't look like he wanted to drop the subject. Daniela fidgeted with her fingers as her mouth twisted.

"I was just wondering," she began hesitantly. Lip's ears perked up. "Why you called me? I mean, you could've called Ian or Fiona but you didn't." Lip didn't think for too long about his answer.

"You were the first person I thought of," he shrugged and Daniela almost lost her breath. She managed to fight the smile off her face.

"Goodnight, Lip."

Moving forward, she pressed a kiss to his cheek. She knew she was playing with fire and that Lip probably didn't reciprocate her feelings, but in that moment Daniela didn't care. She swore she felt Lip lean into her kiss.

Pulling away, Daniela gave him a short wave before leaving. When the door closed behind her, Lip let go of the breath he was holding. Muttering a curse to himself, he made his way back up the stairs to check on Carl.

* * *

She finally told him! I know it's really slow but it's kind of a messy situation with Lip but he's coming around and next chapter will show that.

Thanks for all the love this story has been getting, sorry I didn't do the special thanks in the last chapter. I'll edit it in later.

 _Special thanks to_ : ItsMalecNotLeviosA, gossamermouse101, Rae, moonygilbert, taylortwin500, funwithstark, Somebody's Me, Chattynova, mebk9 and starrsforlife!

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	22. Just Like The Pilgrims Intended

**Chapter 22.**

Guys! We got over the 100 review mark! Thank you all so much. This story has also reached 100K+ words which is a milestone for me because I've never written this much.

 _Mwah!_

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shameless.

* * *

"So what do people in jail do on Thanksgiving?" Questioned Daniela, laying on her bed. She held her phone to her ear, hearing her father snort.

" _The food's a little less crappy and the guys are quieter_." Lawrence paused for a beat. " _They usually stick to themselves, just thinking about their families_."

Daniela chewed on her lip. "Is that what you do?"

" _Yeah_."

"Well, that's just sad. What about saying what you're thankful for?"

" _Dani, it's prison. These aren't exactly the men you sit down and talk about your emotions with_." Daniela huffed and sat up.

"Fine. Tell me what you're thankful for." She could picture her father standing by the prison phone, quirking an eyebrow. She rolled her eyes. "I'll go first." Lawrence's deep chuckle rang in her left ear.

"I'm thankful for having so many great people in my life," said Daniela, smiling to herself. She had her mother, Jakob, her grandma, Simon and the Gallaghers. "Your turn."

Lawrence hummed in thought. " _I'm grateful for the meals and bed I get every day, the clothes on my back and that I got to repair my relationship with my children_." Daniela's smile widens, tears pricking at her eyes. " _Hey Dani, my times running out_."

"Okay," she nodded, her tone becoming somber. "Love you." Lawrence went quiet on the other side of the line. When he spoke, his voice was thick.

" _Love you too, baby girl_." He hung up after that, leaving Daniela to wipe away a few stray tears. Rising from her bed, she got ready before walking to the Gallagher's to see Ian before he went to work.

He had told her about Monica taking him to enlist but that none of them would accept him. Ian had been pretty cut up about it ever since. On top of that, Monica had gotten worse, not even getting up to go to the bathroom. The kids tried to persuade her to eat but she wasn't having any of it.

"Hey, Fi," greeted Daniela as she entered the kitchen. The woman smiled back at her. "Ian here?"

Fiona shook her head. "He just left. You comin' to Thanksgiving lunch tomorrow?"

Daniela shrugged with a nod. "Sure. I can stop by for a bit before I head over to the hospital."

"Great," smiled Fiona. "What's your opinion on Spam?"

"I kind of like it. Why?"

"I'm carving some into the shape of a turkey. Figured it's the closest thing we'll get to a real one."

"Spam turkey sounds delicious," laughed Daniela as she turned to leave. "See you later, Fi."

"Hey Ella, wait." The teen turned to look at Fiona who rested against the sink, her hands playing with a dishcloth. "I wanted to thank you for going down to the station to be with Carl. Lip told me and I just wanted to say I really appreciate you being there for him."

Daniela shrugged it off. "It was no problem." They shared a final smile before the teen made her way home.

/

Daniela tapped her pencil against the textbook splayed out in front of her. It was barely 12 in the afternoon and she already felt like collapsing in her bed.

There was a big finals exam for Physics coming up and Daniela found herself actually wanting to pass. She had been cramming as much knowledge as possible into her head, hoping it would stick. She even entertained the idea of calling Lip to ask if he could help her out.

Blowing out a long sigh, Daniela unceremoniously dropped her pencil and shut her textbook. Her eyes flicked to the oven where her pie was baking for tomorrow's lunch. She didn't want to show up empty-handed; her mother would chastise her if she did.

Daniela rubbed her eyes and leaned back in her chair. Her brain was in haywire from all of the studying.

Remembering that her piece for the art competition was only half finished and needed to be submitted by the end of the week, she opted to spend some time working on it to ease her mind.

Making her way up the stairs, she prepared her paints and brushes, setting her canvas up. Daniela had already drawn an outline in pencil of what the piece would look like and only needed to fill it in with her paints. She decided to stick to the warm colors she had used when she was brainstorming.

Daniela carried on with her painting for a few more hours, her enthusiasm growing as she watched her vision come to light on the canvas piece-by-piece.

Simultaneously, she flicked her attention to her Physics book. The painting helped clear her mind enough where she could absorb the words in the book better.

For the rest of the day, Daniela dedicated her time to working on her art piece and studying; a rare occurrence though she found she enjoyed it. It wasn't until Jakob came home late that night that Daniela realized how long she had been going for.

"You're still up?" He questioned, popping his head into her bedroom. Daniela looked at the alarm clock beside her bed to see it was just past midnight.

"I didn't realize how late it had gotten."

"You working on your piece?" Daniela nodded as Jakob stepped into the room to get a better look at it. "This is great, sis."

She beamed, feeling pretty proud herself. "Thanks."

The canvas was medium sized as she didn't want it to take even longer. She chose to base her piece off of the Gustav Klimt painting she liked the most.

It featured a couple in an embrace that could be taken as friendly or something more. While the male silhouette was painted in warm oranges and reds, Daniela had chosen to make the feminine silhouette elicit a cold feeling, opting for different shades of blue, green and purple.

Depicted off in the top corner of the canvas was another womanly figure, this one colored the same as the man. She made it look like the man was staring past the woman he was embracing to the third silhouette off in the distance.

Daniela took her feelings and amped them up a bit more, showcasing them on canvas. In her mind, it fit the criteria of 'torture'. She liked the finished product, not minding whether it was enough to get her through to the second round.

/

Thanksgiving arrived the next morning as Daniela got ready for lunch at the Gallaghers before she went to see her mom. The house was quiet as she walked downstairs, surprising her. She noticed a piece of ripped paper with her brother's chicken scratch on it placed on the kitchen table.

 _Went to see a friend, I'll be back to pick you up later._

Jakob had ended the note with what she assumed was a poorly drawn turkey.

Daniela dropped the note and grabbed her pie before leaving for the Gallagher house. Her forehead creased when she saw Steve sleeping on the couch. Carrying on into the kitchen, she flashed a bright smile at everyone.

"Happy Thanksgiving!" Cheered Veronica and Fiona, each of them coming to hug her. She chuckled at Fiona and Debbie's matching turkey hats. Daniela grunted as she felt herself be pulled into a bear hug from Kev. Laughing, she pulled away and moved to kiss Debbie on the cheek.

"I brought pie," she announced, brandishing the dish. "Homemade. It just needs to be warmed up a little." They all let out whoops and Kev quickly took it off her hands.

"Man I can't wait to dig into this," he said already licking his lips.

Veronica slapped him in the arm, telling him he had to wait for lunch. Kev looked like a child who had his toy taken from him as his wife took the pie from him.

Daniela's eyes peered into the lounge where Steve was still slumbering. "What's Steve doing on your couch?" Fiona scoffed a laugh, shooting a glance at the man before returning to her chopping.

"He finally kicked Lip out yesterday."

"Which means he's back in Fiona's pants," interrupted Veronica in a hushed whisper. Her friend made a noise of disapproval, shaking her head.

"No, it doesn't. I just let him stay the night." Everyone else in the kitchen shared knowing smirks; even Debbie knew her sister was lying.

"So does this mean Lip is coming back home?" Asked Daniela, moving on from the topic of Steve. She knew Fiona was getting more and more flustered about it.

The woman shrugged, clueless. "Who knows. I don't even know where he stayed last night."

Debbie sighed and rested her head on her propped-up elbow. "I miss Lip." Daniela nodded, clapping her hands together to break the silence that had taken over.

"You guys need any help?" Veronica nodded, giving her instructions to prepare some mashed potatoes. They all fell into an easy rhythm, with the adults chattering and laughing away. As the time ticked on, Daniela noticed the absence of her best friend.

"Is Ian still sleeping?"

Fiona shook her head, seeming worried. "He didn't come home last night." The girl frowned, reminding herself to shoot him a text once she was done with the potatoes.

The kitchen door opened, revealing Carl holding what looked to be a gun and a dead bird. He wore a proud smirk as he held it up to his family.

"Is that a gun?" Fumed his older sister, wiping her hands on her jeans. Veronica followed closely behind, snatching it away from him.

"Where did you get this?"

"I found it," shrugged Carl as if it wasn't a big deal. "But look what I shot!"

"Holy," breathed Kev as he stepped forward to further inspect the bird. "Is that a bald eagle?"

"Is that illegal?" Wondered Daniela aloud, cringing at the animal. Kev took it from the boy and held it up to his face, grinning like mad at the others.

"I know what we're having for Thanksgiving."

Debbie also grossed out, grabbed her laptop. "I'll look it up." Kev placed the eagle down on the bench and began to pluck it.

When she finished up with her potatoes, Daniela stepped outside for a little break. She had messaged Ian who assured her he was on his way home for lunch. Her hand toyed with her phone in debate and she chewed on her lip, eyeing the name in her contacts list.

"Fuck it," she muttered, hitting the button. It took a few rings before Lip finally picked up.

" _Hello_?" Her stomach flipped at the roughness to his voice indicating he had just woken up.

"Hey, Happy Thanksgiving." She heard some hurried shuffling on the other side of the line and raised an eyebrow.

" _Yeah, Happy Thanksgiving_."

"You coming to lunch today?" Asked Daniela, still chewing on her lip.

" _Uh, I don't think so_."

"Debs really misses you, Lip. We all do. You should be here with your family."

Lip's sigh rang in her ear along with his hushed whispering. " _Maybe I'll come around later_."

Daniela's mouth formed a small smile. "Why are you whispering?"

" _Uh..._ " Lip stumbled for an excuse, leaving her frowning in wait. Her jaw tightened at the sound of another voice filter through on his end of the line.

" _Who are you talking to_?"

"Is that Mandy?" Accused Daniela, her temper rising. Lip went quiet and she figured it was because of guilt. She scoffed. "I don't even know why I even bother with you."

" _Daniela wai-_ "

"Lunch is at 3." Lip was soundly cut off by her hanging up on him. Wiping a hand over her face, she wondered why she did this to herself. Knowing she should've seen it coming, Daniela let her anger ebb away before she went back inside.

/

"Wow, where did the giant turkey come from?" She asked, eyeing it in the oven. Fiona laughed and nodded her head to Steve.

"He went and bought it."

Daniela tsked, shaking her head. "That's a shame, I was really looking forward to the spam turkey and bald eagle."

"There's always Christmas," smirked Fiona as they grabbed plates to set the table. Daniela's attention turned to Ian walking through the door. She didn't miss the hickey on his neck.

"Where were you?"

"Out," he answered simply, continuing up the stairs.

"Did you come home last night?" Asked Fiona, placing a hand on her hip. Her brother shook his head. "Didn't think to call?"

Ian shrugged with a small smile. "I'm here now. I wasn't gonna miss a family holiday."

"Come here." He moved towards his sister's open arms and Daniela heard her whisper about his hickey before pushing him up the stairs. The woman smirked at Daniela in exasperation before going to grab some cups.

Ian emerged from upstairs, freshly showered and took a seat at the table they had moved into the lounge. The kids had also managed to get Monica to join them for lunch. Daniela took a seat beside her friend, throwing him a coy look.

"Who gave you the hickey?" She asked bluntly, taking a drink of her grape soda.

Ian snorted lightly. "Some guy I met at the club last night."

"The club Monica took us to?"

"Yeah," he nodded with a smile. Daniela narrowed her eyes at him, her grin widening.

"Did you go home with him?" Ian looked down at his hands, the smile still plastered on his face. Daniela laughed quietly. "How was he?" He was about to answer their question when Kev walked in holding the huge turkey proudly.

They all cheered as he rubbed his hands together in anticipation. Veronica smacked away Carl's hand as he reached for a piece, claiming they hadn't said grace yet.

"I'll say grace," offered Frank who was placed at the head of the table. Everyone eyed each other warily but went along with it nonetheless. "Everybody hold hands." Daniela took Ian and Fiona's hand in hers and bowed her head.

"Dear Lord, thank you for this food we are about to eat. Thank you for bringing my Monica back to me. And please make my brother Clayton burn in hell." Daniela popped an eye open to stare at Frank. "For all eternity when the time comes. Amen."

A chuckled bubbled up in her throat as they all said echoed 'amen'.

Immediately they all began passing around the food to fill their plates. Frank stood from his seat to carve the turkey that they all were looking forward to eating.

"Fiona, is Lip coming?" Debbie asked from the other side of the table. Her sister shrugged off the question.

"He knows what time we're eating."

Daniela twisted her mouth, moving her mashed potatoes around on her plate. Ian looked at her plate.

"You alright?"

"Mhm," she nodded putting on a smile.

"Who likes dark meat?" Frank held up a piece of turkey that was quickly taken by Carl.

"Me too," Kev held his hand up with a sly grin. "And in my turkey also." The table erupted into laughs and whoops as Veronica stared at him unimpressed with his corny joke. Daniela's head turned to the kitchen when she heard cluttering.

"What was that?" Frowned Fiona, already out of her chair. The teen watched as everyone froze once they saw what it was.

"Holy fuck," breathed Kev. Daniela came to stand beside him, her mouth falling open in horror. Her hand flew up to cover it as she stared at Monica slumped up against the kitchen counters, her wrists practically spraying blood.

The woman was convulsing from the blood loss and Daniela couldn't tear her eyes away from all of the blood decorating the section of the kitchen.

Steve rushed forward to help her as Fiona told someone to ring an ambulance. Daniela found herself rooted to the spot, her body feeling like it was in binds. Around her, she heard Veronica taking the kids away as Kev and Ian helped Steve.

Still, Daniela's eyes never left Monica. She felt her breathing pick up, flashes of Samson Milkovich laid out on her own kitchen floor in a puddle of blood resurfacing in her brain. Blood was something she could deal with in small amounts, but this was different.

This was a gross reminder of the time she witnessed death with her own eyes.

Fiona whipped her head around frantically, her eyes catching onto Daniela's frozen state. She hadn't even noticed the girl still standing there. Her face was pale and it looked like she was about to be sick.

"Ian," she called to her brother. "Take Ella outside with the others." He looked at his friend and saw the faraway look in her eyes.

"Ella," he said gently, placing a hand on her elbow. Her eyes snapped to him as she took a sharp intake of breath. They placed their arms around the other and slowly made their way out front, using each other as support.

As soon as she made it onto the front step, she felt the small amount of food she had eaten come back up. Ian looked about ready to do the same as he steadied himself against the railing. Once her stomach emptied itself, Daniela stood upright, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

Sending a last look of disgust at her vomit, she turned to Ian. He had slid down on the steps, his elbows resting on his knees pulled to his chest. She saw the tear tracks on his cheeks.

She stumbled over to him, dropping down next to him. She could deal with her feelings later on when things had settled down, right now Daniela wanted to be there for her best friend who had just seen his mother with her wrists slit open.

Placing an arm around his shoulders, she pulled him to her, feeling his body begin to shake with sobs. They stayed that way, waiting for the ambulance to arrive.

When they did come, Fiona rode in the back with Monica while Steve drove the kids in his car. Kev and Veronica followed in their truck. Frank had unsurprisingly taken off.

/

Daniela sat with them at the hospital while she waited for her brother to arrive; she had messaged him saying she was already there. When she had checked her phone, she saw that she had a missed call from Lip. Steve had been trying to contact him but he hadn't been answering his phone either.

Ian's grip on her hand was tight, his knee bopping up and down nervously. None of them had said much, they were still waiting for the doctor to come and speak with them.

At the sound of footsteps coming their way, they all looked up but their shoulders slumped when they saw it was just Jakob. He spoke for a moment with Fiona, most likely giving her his sympathy before he waited for Daniela. She sighed, looking to a drained Ian.

"I'll come back later if you're still here." Ian nodded and with a final squeeze of his hand, she stood and followed her brother to the elevator.

"How you feeling?" Asked Jakob after he pushed the button for their mother's level. Daniela shrugged, her body pushing itself into the corner of the enclosed space. Her brother eyed her worriedly. "You look a little pale."

Daniela was silent, her interest in her fingernails growing. "It was just a shock." Jakob nodded in understanding as the doors opened.

The girl put a smile on her face when her mother came into view. Camille beamed up at her children, opening her arms for a hug. The sickly woman had been continuing to learn some basic sign language and whenever Daniela visited, she would try and learn as well.

A nurse came in soon after with her dinner that Daniela thought looked less than appetizing. Due to the fact that Camille couldn't swallow solid foods, her meals had been puréed into a gloopy mess. Her mother didn't seem to mind though as she ate spoonfuls of the hot slop.

Daniela felt the gloominess lift from her shoulders as she spent time with her mother and Jakob. She felt a little guilty considering Ian was downstairs with his family waiting on news about Monica.

"Who's this friend you went to see this morning?" Jakob looked at her at the sound of her question.

"Oh, uh. It was just someone I've been talking to recently."

Daniela raised a curious eyebrow. "A _female_ someone?" Her brother nodded, almost wriggling under the looks he was getting from his family. "Is it serious?"

"We've only known each other for a few weeks, Dani."

"But you like her?"

"She's nice, yeah." Daniela shared a grin with her mother making Jakob roll his eyes. "That reminds me. She gave me some soup but I forgot to bring it up." He pulled his keys out of his pocket and dangled them in Daniela's direction. "Can you go get it?"

This time, she rolled her eyes. "You're so lazy." She grabbed the keys and her coat, knowing it was going to be chilly outside.

She made her way out to the front of the hospital, her narrowed eyes trying to work out where her brother had parked when a loud bang startled the girl.

Walking around the corner, Daniela frowned at the sight of Lip tearing off what looked to be scrubs before angrily shoving them into a bin.

"Lip?" She called, her hands stuffed in her pockets. He looked to the side, catching her stare. Daniela was taken aback by the mix of anger and sadness on his face. Her eyes caught onto the scrubs he had ripped off. "Did Karen have her baby?"

Lip simply nodded, too pissed off to speak. Daniela noticed and tilted her head, her teeth chewing on her lip. He looked like he needed to cool off.

"You wanna go for a walk?" Lip exhaled deeply, nodding again. She offered him a small, comforting smile. They walked around nearby in a comfortable silence. Daniela didn't pressure him with questions, knowing that she would find out the details eventually.

She was still angry about the Mandy situation but knew that it wasn't the time to bring it up. Lip seemed to appreciate the lack of questions, settling into the silence.

* * *

Sorry for the abrupt ending, it's really more of a build up to the next one- which is the finale. There will be more Daniela and Lip moments next time, guaranteed!

Special thanks to darkoni66, Ashley H, gossamermouse101, blue Wren, Rara-Binks, January Raines, funwithstark, x NikiSt x, Firebloom, kelsey112, khamilton16, Miku007, , dagee, Similar Hues, Rory Alice, emorris5, Charlee D, littledoodle and Rae.

 **REVIEW!**


	23. Fiona Interrupted

**Chapter 23.**

Last chapter for Season 2! There might be a bit of break between this one and the next because I'll have to plan out Season 3 but I've already sorted some stuff already.

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shameless.

* * *

They were walking along the DuSable bridge above the Chicago River when Daniela's phone started ringing. She saw that it was her brother calling and clenched her eyes shut. The soup had completely slipped her mind. No doubt he was worrying, thinking she had been abducted or something along those lines.

"Hey, Jake." Daniela watched as Lip silently leaned against the railing, lighting a fresh cigarette and looking out at the illuminated city. She wasn't wrong about her brother worrying.

" _Dani, where the hell are you? I ask you to get some soup and you disappear_?"

"Yeah, sorry about the soup. I ran into a friend outside the hospital and we went for a walk," she explained as she chewed on the inside of her mouth. Lip blew out a puff of smoke, his head inching in her direction, listening in on her conversation.

Daniela continued to talk with Jakob, reassuring him that she was safe. "I don't know how long I'll be."

Her brother sighed. " _I can't really leave anyway, considering you have my car keys_."

"Shit, I forgot about that. Okay, just give me half an hour."

 _"You're lucky it's late night visiting hours tonight_ ," huffed her brother, a sliver of amusement slipping into his voice.

"Promise I won't be too long."

Hanging up, Daniela sighed and moved to lean against the rail beside Lip, looking out across the river. She had to admit, she had never realized how beautiful the city was all lit up at night.

"You were right." Daniela was startled by Lip's sudden outburst. She frowned, keeping her eyes on the lit up city.

"About what?"

"Karen... the baby," he groaned in frustration and raked a hand through his hair. "You were right about the whole fucking thing."

Daniela turned her head to him, her mouth slanted. "The baby wasn't yours." She had gathered as much when she saw how angry he was.

Lip shook his head. "Tim Wong's. Apparently, she screwed him as much as she screwed me." He laughed wryly, flicking the ash off the end of his cigarette. "I don't know what I was fucking expecting."

"You loved her."

"I don't even know how I feel about her anymore," admitted Lip.

"For what it's worth, I was hoping I was wrong- that you were the father."

He frowned at her. "Why?"

"You stepped up. Proved that you weren't Frank." Daniela flicked her gaze back to the city, ignoring Lip's intense eyes on her. He didn't push the subject, something she was grateful for. She cleared her throat, lightly tapping her fingers on the bridge rail. "So, you've been staying at Mandy's?"

"Yeah," he nodded as he butted out his cigarette. Daniela bobbed her head, the tick in her jaw growing. Lip was less than willing to put the subject to rest.

"There's nothing going on," he blurted in a convincing tone. "Between Mandy and me." Daniela shot him a look, clearly not believing him. She clicked her tongue and swung her foot back and forth to lightly hit the rail.

"I doubt that. And I don't think Mandy is the type to just let that go."

Lip shrugged like it wasn't a big deal. "I just needed a place to stay, that's all."

"Oh, like with me?" She scoffed a laugh, it was bitter and dry.

"No," denied Lip, his tone almost offended. He flicked his eyes away from her face to the scenery. "You're different."

Daniela didn't know how to feel about that. He was just so difficult, she swore he was harder to read than a teenage girl- and she was one.

Taking one last look at the river, she shoved her hands into her pockets. "I should probably head back. My brother's waiting for me."

Lip nodded and mimicked her actions. "I should get back to Karen."

"Even after what happened?" He simply shrugged, making Daniela roll her eyes. They began their walk back to the hospital.

"How was lunch?" Lip asked as they grew closer, puffing on another cigarette. She swore he was going to be diagnosed with lung cancer before he turned thirty.

"Fiona didn't tell you?"

"Didn't get much time to talk."

Daniela nodded in understanding but chewed on her lip. "It was Monica- you should really call your sister. It's not my place to say."Lip frowned at her, wondering how serious it was. He had been curious as to how they all arrived at the hospital on time. "Everyone's kind of shaken up about it."

He watched her carefully, noticing her hands becoming more fidgety.

"What about you?"

She glanced up at him quickly, shrugging it off. "I'll get through it. It's Debbie and Carl I'm more worried about."

They reached the parking lot and Daniela spotted her brother standing outside the hospital waiting for her. He sighed in relief when he saw them approaching.

"There you are."

"Told you I wouldn't be long." Jakob narrowed his eyes at Lip, looking him up and down. Daniela rolled her eyes at him and turned to the boy beside her. "Call Fiona."

"I will." He made his way past a curious Jakob, throwing her one last look over his shoulder.

"Wasn't that Ian's brother?"

"Yeah," nodded Daniela handing over his keys.

"I thought you two hated each other."

She huffed as her brother unlocked the door to his truck. "I wish."

/

Despite her brother's claims that they would be asleep, Daniela got dropped off at the Gallagher house. Even though it was late, she knew none of them would be sleeping much tonight.

The house was stagnant, a scary feeling looming over it. It was supposed to be a buzzing hub of laughter and sounds. Instead, it just felt sad. Daniela eyed the table with food spread all over it as if it was waiting for them to return and continue celebrating the holiday.

It didn't even feel like a holiday. Everything had gone down shit creek.

Avoiding the kitchen, Daniela climbed the stairs, her ears picking up on the sounds of sobs. She followed the noise to Fiona's room where she saw Debbie and Carl holding onto their sister.

Steve sat on the corner of the bed, watching them with a fallen expression. Ian's back was towards Daniela as she grew closer. Even from the back, she could see the tenseness in his shoulders.

"Hey," she whispered gently, coming to stand beside him. Ian's jaw tightened at the sight of her like he was struggling to hold everything in. She wasn't going to let that happen.

She led him into his bedroom, knowing he wouldn't want his younger siblings to see him break down.

Pulling him in for a hug, Daniela felt his body collapse into hers. He shook with quiet sobs followed by small sniffles. Her heart hurt for her friend and the family that had basically become her own.

They both climbed into Ian's bed with Daniela running her fingers through his hair soothingly until he managed to fall asleep. She knew it wouldn't be a pleasant rest but it had been a long day and it was better than nothing.

/

Daniela woke the next morning with Ian still sound asleep beside her. As if sensing that she was awake, his dry eyes fluttered open. She gave him a small smile.

"Morning." She didn't bother adding the 'good'. "How you feelin'?"

Ian shrugged. "Like shit." Daniela's eyes dropped to the blanket before she raked a hand through his hair.

"Come on. Let's go have some breakfast." Ian reluctantly climbed out of his bed, following her down the stairs.

Their steps grew more hesitant the closer they got to the kitchen. Daniela saw that it had been cleaned; Monica's blood washed away. It made things a bit easier.

Fiona glanced at them as they each took a seat at the breakfast bar. "Morning. How'd you sleep?"

"Doesn't really crack the top 10 nights of sleep I've had," said Ian, his voice lacking humor. His sister sighed, cocking a hand on her hip.

"Want some breakfast?"

"There any leftover pie?"

"For breakfast?" Questioned Fiona, shooting Ian a look. He simply shrugged.

"After yesterday's shit-storm, I think pie for breakfast is the least worrying thing."

"There's some in the fridge."

Ian grabbed out the pumpkin pie Daniela had made and placed it in-between the two of them. Fiona handed them two forks, watching as they dug into it. She began pulling out the rest of the leftovers, getting to work on turning it into a more normal breakfast.

"Karen had her baby last night," announced Ian in between bites. Daniela nodded and took another piece.

"I know. I saw Lip outside the hospital. He was pretty all over the place."

"You talk to him?"

She shrugged, her eyes focusing on the counter. "Figured he wanted to cool off so we went for a walk, we mostly didn't talk."

"Mostly?" Ian pushed, his eyebrow raised. She rolled her eyes.

"He told me about the baby. It was purely venting, nothing else."

"Mornin," greeted Steve as he walked towards Fiona. The two teens in the room shared a knowing look, returning to their pie.

"You back to being a legal resident here, Steve?" Asked Ian curiously.

"Jimmy," interrupted Fiona as she dished up some food. "His name's Jimmy now. Steve was just an alias he used to lie to me about who he really was."

"Ooh, not cool Jimmy-Steve."

"Shit," sighed Daniela. "I forgot to tell you about that."

"You knew?"

"Debbie thought Stev- _Jimmy_ was cheating on Fiona with some lady named Candice on the North Shore, so we went to go see her. Turns out Candace was his mother." Ian chuckled and shook his head at the man who looked a little embarrassed.

They finished their breakfast, grabbing some of the eggs Fiona had made before Ian left for school. Daniela decided to go home to freshen up first, not minding that she would be late. The acidic taste of vomit still lingered in her mouth and she desperately wanted to brush her teeth.

/

Later that afternoon, the pair of them were in Ian's bedroom studying. Daniela had her big Physics exam the next day and knew it wasn't going to be easy.

"Lip say where he was staying?" Blurted Ian, tapping his pencil on his textbook. "Now that Jimmy kicked him out?"

"Yeah. Mandy's."

"Not surprised. She's always asking me questions about him. What he likes, how he is, his favorite-"

"I get it," snapped Daniela, the grip on her pen tightening. Ian pursed his lips in guilt.

"Sorry."

"S'fine." At the sound of someone clap, they looked at a grinning Jimmy standing in their doorway.

"Get ready."

"Why?" Frowned Ian.

"We're going to meet my family."

"Why?" Asked Daniela this time.

Jimmy sighed, leaning his shoulder against the doorframe. "Fiona wants to. Debbie has a sleepover so she can't come. You can take her seat instead."

"You paying?"

"Nope. My dad is, so order whatever you want- the more expensive, the better." Daniela looked to Ian, their eyes meeting. Sharing a nod, they turned back to Steve.

"Well, I don't like turning down a free meal."

/

The restaurant Jimmy pulled up to looked incredibly fancy- and expensive. He led them inside, letting the family marvel at the place. They were quickly shown to their large, round table. Daniela saw that there were already three people seated and recognized that one of them was Candice.

"Oh, Jimmy darling!" Grinned the woman, a smile splitting her face. She stood from her seat, placing a kiss on her son's cheek before happily turning to the rest of them. "You must be the Gallaghers."

Steve got to work with the introductions and Candice warmly welcomed each of them, urging them to sit and make themselves comfortable. When he came to Daniela, the woman laughed brightly.

"You, I remember you," she glanced at the other two sitting. "Made one hell of a first impression. Where's the little girl?"

"Debbie had a sleepover," answered Fiona. The older woman tutted before turning to the couple at the table.

"This is my oldest son, Chip and his wife." Daniela forgot the woman's name as soon as she heard it. As she took her seat, she could tell that there was some tension between the brothers.

"Where's Dad?" Asked Steve, glancing around the table.

"He got caught up with work but he's on his way. How about we start off with a few drinks while we wait?"

"How about some water?"

Candice giggled, shaking her head at her youngest. "I think I'll have something stronger." The table soon settled though Daniela caught a glimpse of the steely stares Chip sent towards his brother.

"So, Fiona," began Candice after her third glass of chardonnay. Everyone noticed how easily the drinks had loosened her up. "Jimmy tells me you have four brothers. Where's the other one?"

Fiona huffed, folding her napkin across her lap. "Lip is out of the house right now. It's been a bit difficult with him." Her answer earned a scoff from Chip.

"That's little brothers for you." He shared a look with Jimmy who was calmly stroking Fiona's bare shoulder.

"Chip, leave your brother alone."

"Two things you can always count on," smiled the man as he spoke to Fiona. "Mom's favoritism for her youngest."

"My brother thinks of me as the runt that didn't punch back," interrupted Jimmy with a smirk. Daniela and Ian leaned back in their chairs, sipping on their waters as they watched the little spat unfold.

"And her youngest's quick and stealthy exit after he weasels her out of another ten grand."

"I was actually hoping to milk her out of another twenty this time."

Fiona picked up her glass, her finger tapping it gently as she gestured it towards Jimmy's brother. "With a name like Chip, you'd think you'd want to defy the stereotype."

Daniela swallowed her laugh with a sip of her water while Ian smirked openly at his sister. Meanwhile, Carl continued gnawing into a piece of lobster.

"Sorry I'm late," said an approaching man. He grinned at the table and Daniela placed him as Jimmy's father. "Whipple on a stage-four patient." He took a seat at the table. Beside her, Daniela felt Ian tense up.

"So, you must be the mysterious Fiona."

"And these are Fiona's brothers, Carl, Ian and his friend Daniela." Jimmy's father pointed along to each of them, his finger pausing when he caught Ian's eye. He faltered for a moment before quickly recovering.

"Well, nice to meet you, Ian. Have we ordered?"

"Excuse me," piped up the teen before grabbing a confused Daniela's elbow and pulling her up after him. "Bathroom." He moved his grasp to her wrist, leading her to the men's bathroom. She registered the door with wide eyes.

"Uh, I can't go in there."

"Who cares?" Brushed off Ian, sounding flustered. He led her into the bathroom, checking to see if anyone was already in there. "You know how I met a guy at the club? And then we went back to his house and I stayed there for the night?"

"Yeah?"

"That's the guy." Daniela stood in silent shock as her friend raked a hand through his hair. At what first started out as a small giggle soon turned into whooping laughs. Ian stared at her unimpressed.

"You…" she wheezed, flicking a few tears from her eyes. "Slept with….Jimmy's dad?" The boy simply nodded, huffing back a laugh. As Daniela's chuckles quietened down, the door opened to reveal the object of conversation. Lloyd glanced between the two of them.

"This is awkward," murmured Daniela. The man nodded, gesturing his head to the door.

"Do you mind?"

"Oh. Right," she gave Ian one last look. "I'll leave you to it." Daniela took her seat at the table, giving her order to the waiter. Not too long later, Ian and Lloyd reemerged from the toilets, each settling back into their seats. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah," nodded Ian, his eyes meeting the man's across from him.

/

Lip needed to get away. Mandy had become almost suffocating the longer he stayed at her house. She had gotten the idea in her head that they were a couple now because they had fucked more than three times- apparently, that was a deal breaker for her.

Desperate for a breath of fresh air, he found solace on the front step of her house, late in the middle of the night. He sat, pondering, feeling the biting cold nip at the tips of his fingers; his signature cigarette dangled limply.

Bringing it up for a long toke, Lip released the smoke, watching it waft away. He found that he had a lot on his mind the last few days.

He had learned a lot.

The first being that Karen Jackson was a fucking bitch.

If Lip was honest with himself, he had always known this. It was one of the reasons he loved her. However, the baby situation had taken her to a whole other level. Now he didn't know how to feel about her. There was just something about Karen that kept him coming back for more.

She held no remorse or affection towards her baby. Lip had read about situations where women giving their baby up for adoption backed out at the last minute because as soon as they saw them, they felt a connection. Karen had been the complete opposite. She couldn't wait to be rid of the thing, treating it like it was a tumor.

Lip had scoffed at her, wondering how she could be so cold to something that was a piece of her. Later on, that night as he watched her sleeping, he realized that that's just who Karen was. She was notorious for not giving a shit.

Then there was Daniela, almost her polar opposite.

Among all the chaos, Lip had been trying to figure out how he felt about her. She had dropped a bombshell on him that he really should've picked up on if he had only paid more attention to her. Lip was guilty of not doing that enough.

He noticed how closed off Daniela had become once she told him like she was scared of his reaction and therefore went into defense mode. Truthfully, Lip didn't have one. It was the last thing he was expecting to hear that day.

Then Monica and Carl happened, and Lip found that she was the first one that came to mind when he picked up his phone. He knew she would be there to lend a helping hand even if he didn't ask for it.

When she called him Thanksgiving morning, he felt like he had been caught in the act. Her disappointed tone stuck in his brain for the rest of the day and he had been genuinely shocked when he saw her outside the hospital that night.

What really made him think was the fact that despite the Mandy situation, Daniela still offered to walk around with him as he cleared his head. He didn't know why she was so nice to him. He was a piece of shit to her, unworthy of her kindness.

Still, selfishly, he didn't want her to leave. When he was around her Lip felt almost lighter. Like she brought out something inside of him that made him think he could be something or do something with his life.

The second thing Lip learned from the past few days was that he missed his family. Seeing Fiona at Mandy's house earlier that day brought home how much he missed everyone. They all wanted him back, and slowly Lip was bending.

He missed his chats with Ian, cheering Carl on when he had a terrible idea, helping Debbie with her boy trouble and changing Liam's diapers. Hell, he even missed Frank being a total waste of a father.

A part of Lip found that he also missed Daniela. She had become a staple in his life for almost a year and it felt strange without her there chastising him for being a prick or flirting shamelessly with another girl.

Reaching into his pocket, Lip pulled out his phone and toyed with it. He debated whether or not to call her, just wanting to talk to her again. Karen had really thrown a kink in their relationship and slowly, they had drifted.

He found her number, his finger ready to press the button when a voice startled him.

"What are you doing?" Frowned Mandy, stepping out onto the front stoop.

Lip flicked his cigarette, throwing her a short glance. "I couldn't sleep. Needed a smoke."

Mandy came to sit beside him, telling him to go home. Lip didn't put up much of a fight, he knew it was time to go.

"You wanna fuck again?" Lip eyed her as she stood and made her way inside. "I'm only going to be awake for a few more minutes."

Leaving the opportunity hanging in the air, Mandy headed back to her room. Lip took a moment and, pushing away his thoughts of another girl, followed behind.

/

Daniela chewed on her lip, her leg bopping up and down. Mr. Davis stalked around the classroom, sliding the test papers down onto each of their desks. She surveyed her fellow classmates.

Some seemed at ease, confident with how they'll do. Others seemed to be in the same boat as here; unsure as to whether or not they'll pass.

She prayed that all of her cramming had been worth it as her own test papers slapped down onto her table.

"You will have two hours for this exam," Mr. Davis began his slow, customary monolog and Daniela took the time to doodle on her table. "This is multiple choice. If you change an answer, be sure to fully erase your first answer and clearly circle your second."

Hearing murmurs around her, Daniela narrowed her eyes, turning her head to see Lip sitting at the back of the class. He stared up at Mr. Davis, smirking when the teacher gave him the exam papers.

Lip's eyes flicked to meet Daniela's on the other side of the room. He gave her a nod to which she simply frowned. Rolling her eyes, Daniela pretended he wasn't there and focused back on her test.

For the next two hours, she zoned in on the exam, some answers coming to her more easily than others.

Just over an hour in, Lip had risen from his chair and handed his papers in. She wanted to scoff. Trust him to come back to school after missing a whole term and ace a finals exam.

Tapping her pencil against her temple, Daniela could feel a pair of eyes on her, already knowing who they belonged to. Her jaw set, she narrowed her eyes at Lip. His stare didn't falter. She raised an eyebrow in silent question but her attention was brought to the front of the class.

Mr. Davis cleared his throat. "Eyes back on your test Miss Kaufman." Daniela rolled her eyes again, placing a hand on the side of her head to act as a wall.

The two hours came to a close with Daniela rushing out of the class as soon it was over, conveniently avoiding Lip. She had work straight after and didn't want to be late.

/

"Lip showed up at school today," informed Daniela later that day.

"Good," nodded Ian as they relaxed in his bed.

"You gonna tell Fiona about Lloyd?"

Her friend rolled his eyes with a scoff. "Yeah, if I could get her alone for a minute."

"Fiona's always busy."

"Yeah, no shit." Daniela shoved his shoulder making him chuckle and soon the two playfully wrestled each other down the stairs.

In the lounge, the sounds of airsoft guns popping rang out. Carl and Steve were fighting to the death, donning protective masks. Daniela cautiously made her way past to the kitchen but Ian wasn't so lucky.

"Ow! Dude, knock it off," he hissed when Carl aimed one at the back of his neck. Daniela stifled a laugh.

She moved to stand beside Este at the breakfast bar. The woman was munching on some leftover turkey which Daniela joined in on. The bruises on Este's face were hard to hide and Daniela felt pride at how strong the woman seemed, regardless.

The teen turned her attention to Liam who was bumbling in his high chair. She grinned at him, rubbing a finger over his soft cheek, making him giggle. Her and Este played with Liam while Ian and Fiona carried on their conversation.

A few minutes later, Frank came in looking angry and haggard as per usual. His first stop was the cupboard where the old baby formula container was.

"Jesus, Frank. We're broke," sighed Fiona as she watched him. He moved to check the freezer drawers. "I haven't hidden money in there since you cleaned us out last May."

Giving up, Frank instead took a carton of beer from the fridge and headed to the door. Ian frowned angrily after him.

"Woah, no. Those are mine."

"Come on. Let him go, Ian." He ignored his sister and ripped the drinks out of his father's hands.

"Why you fucking-" Frank advanced on Ian, shoving up against the wall. Immediately, Daniela was out of her chair.

"Get off him, Frank!" The whole family struggled to pull the fuming man off of Ian until he finally slumped to the floor.

Turning, they all took in Este holding a frying pan, her teeth clenched in disgust. She hissed some scathing words at Frank in Portuguese, which no-one else understood.

Nevertheless, Daniela nodded and held her hand up for a high-five. "Amen." Este blew a strand of hair out of her eyes and smiled, slapping her hand against the teen's.

The group shared a look, their eyes flicking back and forth between Frank's unconscious body and themselves.

Wordlessly, they each took hold of a part of him, working together to carry him outside. They dropped him unceremoniously in the backyard before heading back inside like it was no big deal.

Daniela sent one last smirk in Frank's direction.

"Anything hurt?" She asked Ian once they were back inside. She had sat him down so she could look at his face. It didn't seem to be too damaged.

"Nah wasn't as bad as the last time. I'll be fine."

Ian was the first to hear the door open, a smile lighting up his face when he saw Lip walk in. He looked at each of them hesitantly. Fiona and Debbie were the first ones to hug him, followed by Ian and Carl.

Daniela hung back, just watching. She met Lip's eyes when he glanced over Fiona's shoulder. Nodding, she gave him a small, proud smile.

/

Her footsteps down the stairs were slow and soft in an attempt to be quiet. The whole house had gone to sleep, leaving Daniela to make her exit. She went down the main stairs, avoiding the kitchen.

Throughout the night, she had kept her distance from Lip as he caught up with his now and again, she would feel eyes on her, knowing it was him.

"Daniela?" The girl clenched her eyes shut. Speak of the devil.

"Hey," she smiled weakly, coming to a stop at the bottom of the staircase. Lip was stood in the kitchen, a bottle of beer clutched in his hand as he frowned at her.

Picking up another, he extended it towards her in a silent offer. Not wanting to be rude, Daniela nodded and walked to the kitchen, taking it from his hands. He leaned against the counter, watching as she popped the lid off.

They stood in silence for a few moments with Daniela just continuing to sip on her beer. Lip seemed to be deep in thought.

"I was looking for you after class today but you were already gone."

"I had work," was all she said, shrugging a shoulder. Lip nodded and looked back to his hands.

"I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Karen or Mandy?" Daniela's blunt question caught him off guard, making him frown.

"Huh?"

"It's just that usually whenever you want to talk, it's about Karen or Mandy or you need a place to stay. And considering you're back at home, it must be about the other two. So, which one?"

Lip shifted on his feet. "Karen left town."

"Did she now?"

"Yeah." He clenched a fist as his jaw tightened at the thought of the blonde. "She's so fucking selfish."

"You're just realizing this now?"

"No. I've always known."

Daniela nodded as the quiet stretched on again. "Anyways, I'm glad you're home."

"Yeah well, Mandy thought it would be a good idea."

She laughed wryly, taking a long drink of her beer. "Wow, you bounce back fast."

Swallowing the last remnants, Daniela wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and placed the bottle beside the sink. She blew out a long breath.

"I better head home." Lip's head snapped to her. "It's pretty late."

She had only taken three steps before she heard him speak up.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Daniela frowned at Lip over her shoulder. Sighing, she turned fully and placed a hand on her hip.

"How could I when you were running after Karen like a lost puppy?"

"Still," pushed Lip, wearing his own frown. "You should've said something."

Daniela rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "Like it would've made a difference."

"You don't know that."

"Actually, I do. You never saw me like that and I get it. That's why I never said anything."

Lip shook his head, eyeing her like she was clueless. "Who says I didn't?"

Daniela pursed her lips and cleared her throat after a moment. "Well, it's too late now."

"Says who?"

"Look around you, Lip." She waved a hand in the air for added emphasis. "The girl you thought you were in love with just skipped town after giving birth to a baby you spent months thinking was yours. Meanwhile, you can't seem to keep your dick out of Mandy Milkovich."

"I told you this thing with Mandy is nothing," stressed Lip as he raked a hand through his hair in frustration.

"Does _she_ know that?" He went quiet, making her nod. "That's what I thought. Lip, that girl has feelings for you."

"I thought you did too."

"…I do."

"Well, then what's the problem?" Questioned Lip. The girl's mouth opened and closed, wondering how he could be so daft.

"The _problem_ is that you seem to think it's okay to go around and screw a girl you have no intentions of getting together with when she has a different idea in mind."

"You're sticking up for Mandy now?"

Daniela sighed, pinching her nose. "I'm not gonna waste my time on a guy who doesn't even know what he wants."

"What do _you_ want?" Lip's voice took on a softer tone.

Tilting her head, Daniela eyed him resting against the kitchen counter. Slowly, she walked towards him, swallowing the distance between the pair.

"I want…" She took another step so that they were chest to chest. Lip's hands came to grip her waist, steadying her as he felt his throat dry up. Daniela brought a hand up to toy with the hair at the nape of his neck. Her eyes never wavered from his hazy ones. "You…"

She felt Lip's grasp on the hem of her shirt tighten, using it to pull her closer to him. Daniela watched as his gaze dropped to her lips and she knew what he was thinking. His head angled down towards her, his smirking lips coming to hover just above hers.

However, she wasn't going to let it be that easy.

"I wasn't finished," she whispered. Lip pulled back an inch, frowning down at her. "I want you, to sort your shit out first before anything happens between us. Karen just left town and I'm not here to be your rebound."

It took a few long moments before Lip grudgingly sighed and lifted his head. "I can do that."

Daniela laughed under her breath, a grin breaking out onto her face. She stepped backward and raised an eyebrow.

"I'll believe it when I see it." She placed a short kiss on the corner of his mouth. "Goodnight."

Stepping back, Daniela flashed him one last grin before pivoting on her foot and leaving the house. Lip watched her go, chuckling under his breath.

* * *

Season 2 is done and dusted, onto the next one! Like I said at the start, there will be a small break so I can fully plan out all the chapters. Let me know what part was your favorite! I'd appreciate it and I've been loving all the feedback so far.

 **Also** to the guest reviewer who asked me to publish this on Wattpad; I've been thinking about it and I do have an account but I have to figure out how to use it first.

 _Special thanks to_ : Similar Hues, BehindGrayEyes, gossamermouse101, xenocanaan, Liv, RandomPerson, Rae, Psycho17, lifeismycreationxx, sacranes, ILovePotatoes94, mypoeticdownfall, JasperControlsMyEmotions, kerstii, Friva2397, The Ravenwood, themanticors and Sailor Princess of The Moon!

 **REVIEW!**


	24. El Grand Canon

**Chapter 24.**

Season 3 bay-bay! This chapter was a hell of a lot longer than I thought it would be and it might be a tad confusing but I hope it's still enjoyable.

As per usual, a HUGE thank you to all of the new and faithful readers of this story. Your support and interest were a huge driving force to get this out there as soon as possible.

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shameless.

* * *

 **Four and a half months later.**

Daniela shoved open the door of the robotics building, her feet carrying her swiftly through the college campus. Her heart raced as she was flanked by Ian and Lip.

"I can't believe you roped me into your shit!" She fumed, focusing her anger on ditching the cops chasing them.

"When you said you had access, I thought you meant through the front door," accused Ian almost a foot ahead of them; his ROTC training paying off.

To the left of her, Lip laughed breathlessly. "I may have fudged on that bit."

"I can not be getting arrested right now," interjected Daniela again, throwing a quick glare at the boy. "Jake will kill me." Lip shrugged, his shoulders jostling awkwardly from the running.

"Your brother's a cop now. You'll be fine."

"That's even more reason for him to do it!"

"Hey!" Yelled one of the cops like it was going to make them stop.

"Come on!" Daniela and Ian followed Lip down the steps. Desperately, she tried not to trip and fall flat on her face.

Not use to so much running, the gap between herself and the boys grew. She watched as both of them slid down the handrail like they were in a movie, making her roll her eyes.

 _Show offs._

"Come on, Ella!" Urged Lip, nearing the bottom the steps. He watched her over his shoulder to make sure she was still close before they ran across the road. "Jesus, what happened to fat, donut-eating cops? Now they're all Triathletes."

The trio came to a fence and Ian was the first to climb it, hopping over swiftly. His brother was next, almost as quick. Daniela was much more sloppy. Evading the police and jumping fences weren't exactly on her list of hobbies.

Despite this, she managed to stumble up to the top but as she made her way down, a tug on her jeans revealed that they had snagged on the fence.

"Shit. I'm caught!" Lip stopped to look at her before quickly grabbing her around the waist and pulling her down. Daniela heard the tear of denim as her feet hit the floor.

"Okay?" Asked Lip, his eyes staring down at her. Nodding, she pushed him to keep running. They quickly caught up with Ian.

"Wait here," he said as they approached a parked truck.

"What are you doing?"

Ian jumped, his hands catching onto the ladder that hung from the fire escape. Daniela watched him with a flustered glare.

"We're not all, G.I. Joe." Noticing the officers gaining on them, she rushed towards the open stairway door. "Through here."

Daniela was mentally cursing by the time they reached the roof. Her thighs and lungs were burning and she was in desperate need of water. Running across the roof, they came to the ledge, peering off at the large drop to the next building.

"Right there," called one of the officers again. "Hold it!"

Daniela's worried eyes switched back and forth between the two brothers, unsure of what to do next.

"No way West Point is gonna take you with a felony conviction," said Lip. Ian stared back at his brother and nodded in understanding. "You go too." Lip turned to Daniela. "You don't need to be caught up in this."

The girl nodded, her eyes softening. Grabbing him by the back of the neck, she pulled him down for a quick kiss.

"Don't do anything stupid," she mumbled against his lips, feeling them smirk against hers.

"Too late." He pushed her gently in Ian's direction, watching as she climbed up onto the ledge.

"Catch you at the courthouse later?" Asked Ian before jumping down. Once he landed, he moved to stand below Daniela, his arms held out to catch her.

"Hey," called Lip before she jumped. "Reckon your brother could pull some strings?"

Daniela shrugged. "I'll try." Flashing him one last smile, she took the plunge, feeling Ian's solid arms wrap around her. She turned around, just in time to see Lip throw down the briefcase he'd stolen.

Catching it, she stumbled back from the weight before taking off beside her best friend. Halfway across the next roof, Daniela spared a glance over her shoulder, seeing Lip holding his hands up to the two officers.

/

"He'll be okay," assured Ian as they walked into school, surprisingly on time. Daniela had been fiddling with the hem of her shirt the entire walk there, her thoughts elsewhere.

Tuning back into the conversation, she nodded at her friend. "I know."

Both of their eyes caught onto a figure leaning against Ian's locker. Daniela felt the awkwardness build as they grew closer to Mandy. The Milkovich girl had kept a silent distance from her and Lip ever since he dumped her three months prior.

He had been worried at first about her reaction, and rightfully so. Ian was the perfect example of saying no to Mandy and despite some initial anger and threats from her older brothers, she had backed off. Still, Daniela would often catch her staring longingly at Lip. She knew that they still talked, though he had assured her it was nothing more than friendly.

While there had never been much of a relationship with Mandy, things had become even tenser between them over the last few months, causing Ian to have to alternate who he would hang out with.

He sent his friend an apologetic look when his eyes also caught onto Mandy. "I promised I would spend some time with her."

"No worries," Daniela shrugged. "I have to catch up on some homework at break anyway."

"I'll meet up with you after school and then we'll go down to the courthouse."

"Sounds good," nodded the girl with a smile before splitting off from him.

Six hours later, Daniela stood out the front of the high school, her foot tapping impatiently as she waited for Ian. After a few more minutes, she finally saw him emerge, not missing Mandy walking beside him.

"Hey," he greeted her, sounding both apologetic and cheery.

"Let's go," droned Mandy, passing in front of them. Daniela turned a raised eyebrow to her friend.

"Mandy's coming?"

"It kind of slipped out and then she was pretty insistent about tagging along. Sorry."

The girl shook her head and raked a hand through her hair. "It's fine. Let's just go before she leaves us behind." Sure enough, Mandy was already halfway down the street, her stride determined.

/

 **Three months prior.**

Ian's phone went off for what felt like the hundredth time in the past hour. Daniela eyed it strangely from her position stacking canned tomatoes on the shelf.

"Are you dealing now or something?" She asked, making him laugh. Ian shook his head as he sat in his usual spot behind the cash register.

"It's Lloyd."

"Jimmy's dad?" Daniela crinkled her nose. "You're still seeing him?"

"Yeah."

"What are you gonna do when Mickey gets out?"

Ian shrugged, waving it off. "He still has months before he gets out. Until then, I'll enjoy this little thing with Lloyd."

Daniela laughed under her breath, returning to her stacking before her attention was caught by Lip crashing through the store door. The bell rang out as he stood soaked from the rain, his breathing ragged.

Daniela frowned oddly at him. "Why are you out of breath?" Wiping some water out of his eyes, Lip moved to where she stood, his chest still heaving.

"I'm avoiding Mandy and her brothers."

"Why?"

"I ended it," he stated bluntly. The girl's eyes widened a fraction with Ian doing the same behind the cash register.

"Oh."

"Yeah."

Daniela's mouth twisted. "Did she get mad?"

"She threw a few things at me but I mostly got out unscathed."

"Could've been worse," piped up Ian. His brother glanced at him and nodded. They all remembered what had happened when Ian turned down Mandy and Daniela felt a dull ache in her shoulder at the reminder.

"Yeah. Might need to lay low just in case her brothers decide to come for my balls." Lip stepped closer to Daniela, grinning as he placed his hands on her waist. Ian coughed uncomfortably. "Good news is that we can finally try this out."

"Not so fast," she halted him. He frowned down at her, his smile gone. "If you have to lay low then so do I. Mandy's gonna know why you ended things with her if she sees us suddenly together."

"I think she already knows," laughed Lip, pulling her towards him. Still, Daniela shook her head.

"This," she moved a hand between the two of them. "Can't happen until things with Mandy calm down. From the sounds of things, she's pretty pissed with you and I don't feel like getting my arm dislocated again."

Lip groaned, his head tilting back. "You are so difficult."

"So are you," she shot back. He heaved a heavy sigh before shaking his head.

"Fine then. I'll wait."

Squeezing her waist one last time, Lip left the store, leaving behind a chuckling Ian. Daniela frowned at him in silent question.

"You're torturing him, Ella."

/

 **Present.**

"Here he comes," smiled Mandy, pulling the other girl out of her thoughts. Daniela looked up from her hands to see Lip waltzing towards them flanked by two officers.

Instantly his eyes met hers, a mischievous smirk plastered on his face. Daniela shook her head at him with a laugh and pushed herself off the wall as a guard opened the metal door for Lip. She walked towards him, watching as he signed some paperwork.

He tapped the top of the pen against the desk, signaling he was done, and turned around to meet Daniela's hard look. It didn't last very long before he pulled her waist towards him and kissed her. She settled into it quickly, her hands coming to rest on his chest.

The kiss was soon cut off by Lip's cry of pain.

"I'm still mad at you," claimed Daniela, her closed fist coming off of his arm. Lip laughed under his breath and dropped his hands from her waist as they walked to where Ian and Mandy were waiting.

"Hey," he greeted his brother. Ian tossed him a pack of cigarettes that he quickly caught before his attention moved to the girl beside his brother. "Hey, Mandy." She leveled him with a sharp glare, aiming her own punch at his arm.

"Asshole."

"Ow, Jesus. Why is everyone hitting me?" Complained Lip. Daniela snorted and began walking in front of him.

"Uh, because you're a wanker."

"How did it go?" Asked Ian, swallowing his laugh with a cough.

"Public defender thinks I can get off with community service if I take the laser back. Underprivileged kid trying to gain access to equipment he doesn't have at his ghetto ass, underfunded school. Hey, how much did the bail set you back?" He asked Ian, rubbing his tender arm with a wince.

The redhead raised his hands innocently. "Wasn't me." At Lip's confused frown, he jerked a thumb at Daniela's back.

"You?"

The girl rolled her eyes before Lip grabbed her wrist to turn her around so he could see her face. A small grin appeared as he took in the faint pinkness of her cheeks.

"I was saving up for a laptop but," she shrugged, suddenly feeling very unsure of herself as he stared down at her with a look of astonishment in his eyes. Feeling naked under his intense gaze, Daniela cleared her throat and turned back around. "No big deal."

"Woah, woah." Lip's hand wrapped around her smaller one, dragging her back into his chest. "It is a big deal," he said, brushing a piece of hair behind her ear and dropping his forehead to hers. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Lip pressed another kiss to her mouth.

"Promise I'll pay you back."

"Well," began Daniela slyly. "My birthday is in a few months."

Lip chuckled under his breath and nodded before pecking her lips again. "I'll keep that in mind."

Slinging an arm around her shoulder, the couple sauntered out of the courthouse.

Behind them, Ian observed the down expression of Mandy, her eyes dropping from the couple to her shoes. Finding himself in the odd predicament of being happy for his best friend and feeling sorry for Mandy, Ian threw his own arm around the Milkovich.

The girl watched as Lip whispered something in Daniela's ear that made her throw her head back in laughter. She felt robbed. If it wasn't for the fact that she still cared for Lip, Mandy would've gotten rid of Daniela ages ago.

She understood that her feelings towards the older girl were harsh and knew that if she acted upon them, Lip would never acknowledge her ever again.

As she made her way home though, an idea popped into Mandy's head, making her smirk. There were other ways to get back at Daniela.

Lip might've been off limits and with Ian batting for the other team, she was left with only one other option.

/

"So, what exactly is that thing?" Asked Daniela later that night, her legs tucked underneath herself as she sat in Lip's room and watched him examine the thing they had stolen.

After a few weeks had passed with Frank still not showing up, Fiona had upgraded to her father's room, leaving her old one to Lip.

His brow was furrowed determinedly as his fingers worked to twist some wires together.

"It's a helium-neon laser that I'm gonna use to teach some arrogant, college douche-bags not to fuck with the South Side. That's if I can get it to work properly." A laugh bubbled in her throat as she sighed and stood up.

"I need to pee," she said, already out the door. Lip nodded absently in acknowledgment, his eyes never leaving the laser.

Daniela smiled kindly at Fiona on her way past to the bathroom; the woman returning it genuinely. Once the bathroom door was closed, she turned to her brother, propping herself up against his doorframe with a small smirk.

"Daniela, huh?"

"Mhm," hummed Lip simply. Across the room, his sister nodded.

"She's a good one. Don't fuck it up."

"Yeah well, thanks. I guess?"

"You two being smart?" Lip finally tore his eyes away from his project to reach over and grab a string of condoms. Satisfied, Fiona nodded and left, a proud smile on her face.

Bringing his bottom lip between his teeth, Lip returned to his work, his head rising back up at the sound of light footsteps. He eyed Daniela appreciatively, an oversized shirt he was sure Kev had given him draped over her frame, coming to a tantalizing rest a couple inches above her knees.

Smiling coyly, she took long strides to his bed until she stood right above him, pieces of hair coming to frame her face as she looked down upon him. Lip carefully maneuvered his robot to the side of him, his eyes never straying from hers. Reaching out, he took hold of her hands, pulling her down to his level.

Moving his fingers to her cheeks, Lip grazed a thumb over the soft skin as Daniela melted into his touch. She felt her body heat up just from the heavy look he cast her way, the familiar pink tinge in her cheeks making him smirk.

Not wanting to waste any more time, Lip tugged her mouth against his in a desperate, heated kiss. Daniela's arms wrapped loosely around his neck, her position making him angle his head upwards to meet hers. She pulled away from the kiss long enough to lightly nip at his swollen bottom lip.

"You…staying….tonight?" Murmured Lip in between their kisses as his hands already began to play with the hem of her shirt.

"I don't know," breathed Daniela, the tone of her voice becoming more light and playful. "I'm still mad at you."

Her answer caused a deep rumble in Lip's chest that reverberated onto the hand the girl had placed there. She rested on the heels of her feet, watching him with a smirk.

"You're not serious?" At Daniela's raised brow he realized that she was and sighed in defeat. "I'm sorry." Lip waited for her response, taking in the change in her posture.

"I don't want you getting in any more trouble."

"That's gonna be a bit difficult for me."

Daniela rolled her eyes in amusement knowing it was the truth. "Fine. I don't want you getting into any _serious_ trouble."

"I can live with that," he nodded after thinking about it. Lifting one of her hands to his mouth, he peppered kisses up her arm until his lips came to rest at the corner of her own mouth. "But you're staying tonight."

Daniela huffed a laugh. "Do I have a choice?" Her eyes met his clear blue ones, spotting the mischief in them coupled with the signature tug in his lips.

"No," he shook his head before bringing her mouth back to his. She sighed into the kiss and allowed Lip to push her down onto her back. A bare leg came to curl around his middle, pulling his lower half to press down harder against her.

Lip moved his mouth to her neck, making Daniela turn her head towards the entrance of her door.

"Lip," she halted, an amused giggle bubbling in her throat. He peeled his head back to frown at her. "You should probably close that." She suggested, a single finger pointing out the open curtain that substituted as a door for his room.

Muttering a curse, Lip quickly heaved himself up with a groan, snatching the fabric closed.

/

The next morning, Daniela and the Gallaghers sat around the kitchen table, clamoring over breakfast. Jimmy had become the den mother of their tribe, cooking up big spreads of breakfast each morning.

Nowadays, breakfast at the Gallagher house was much more appealing than the plain bowl of cereal she would be having at her own home.

She was sat beside Lip who couldn't stop rubbing his hand up her thigh much to her annoyance, delighting him even further. It was completely distracting. Throughout the meal, she continued to send him warning looks to which he would reply with innocent ones.

Shaking her head at him, Daniela turned her attention to his younger brother.

"Carl, could you pass a piece of toast please?" The boy tossed one over, her hands almost failing to catch it. "Where did you go last night?" She asked Ian as she buttered her bread.

Ian snorted, popping a forkful of eggs in his mouth. "Saving myself from having to listen to you two all night." Daniela's mouth dropped open.

"Wha-? That is…Wow." Her flustered speech caused Lip to chuckle, his mirth quickly turning into pain as she slapped his chest. Picking up her fork, she scraped the scrambled eggs around her plate. "It was hardly all night."

"No," piped in Debbie as she poured herself some orange juice. "If I recall correctly, it stopped around 11:50." Daniela's hands flew up to cover her eyes as Lip and Ian shared a laugh at her embarrassment. It was still strange adjusting to how open the family was.

"Hey," argued Lip. "At least we're not as bad as Fiona and Jimmy." All the kids at the table shuddered at the thought and Jimmy raised his spatula defiantly.

"Who wants more eggs?"

The majority of the table stuck their hands up leading the man to come and scoop some eggs onto everyone's plates. They continued to eat, falling into small chatter. Ian and Lip were discussing how his robot was coming along when Steve spoke up from the stove.

"Bus is leaving, dishes in the sink. Daniela, you need a ride?"

"If it's not too much trouble."

The man waved her worries off with a dishcloth and tossed her a paper bag she assumed contained her lunch. "Course not."

Ridding her mouth of any crumbs, Daniela grabbed her bag off of the ground and slung it over her shoulders.

Lip followed her lead as they headed outside to where Jimmy's nice car was parked. She climbed into the backseat and was soon joined by Ian, Carl, and Debbie because they were smaller. They waited for Jimmy as he kissed Fiona goodbye before driving the lot to school.

/

Daniela rested on a work bench in the engineering room, her eyes clearly focused on Lip as he sanded down a piece of metal. He had come to work on his robot for the competition that would be taking place that night.

"You're coming tonight right?" Asked Lip, his brow furrowed as sparks flew around him.

Daniela nodded despite him not looking at her. "Yeah. I want to see what this thing can do."

"You and me both."

The girl swung her legs, her feet kicking the air as she observed Lip.

All day he had been raving to her about his ideas for the robot and how he was going to make it happen. It had mainly been silent in the room because she didn't want to distract him in fear of the boy losing a finger.

However, every now and again Daniela would slip in a curious question about what he was building or how it would change the way the robot worked.

When she asked these questions, Lip's eyes would light up as he spouted off information Daniela was more than happy to listen to. She saw that he was completely in his element as she watched him fit the cut piece of metal onto the body of his project.

At the sight of his focused, furrowed brow, Daniela grinned openly. Lip's eyes caught her smile making the crease in his forehead grow even more.

"What?"

"Nothing," she giggled and shook her head making him turn off the sander in order to give her his full look of annoyance.

"What the fuck?" He asked once more and Daniela could see the bubble of frustration grow. Her laughs died down until she was simply staring at him and tilted her head. His footsteps carried from behind his station to where she sat.

"I've never seen you like this before. You're totally in your element."

"Well, yeah." Lip shrugged it off. "Does it weird you out?"

"No," dragged out Daniela, reaching out to grab his shirt to tug him towards her. Running her hands up his chest, she looked up at him. "It's kind of hot."

Lip raised a single eyebrow at her. "Oh yeah?"

Nodding with a giggle, Daniela didn't refuse Lip's mouth as it came to down to brush against hers. She fell into the kiss, aware of Lip's eagerly wandering hands. Her fingers looped small tufts of his hair around them, angling him closer to her.

In the background, they heard the click of the door opening followed by an uncomfortable cough to gain their attention. Both teens peeled away from each other to stare at the man Daniela knew to be Lip's guidance counselor. He sent another look between the two of them before gesturing his head to where Lip's creation sat.

"The hell is that?"

"That is a helium-neon laser," answered Lip as he moved back to his own station and placed his safety glasses on again. "I'm gonna perform Lasix on near-sighted neighborhood kids. Fifty bucks a pop." Across the room, Daniela rolled her eyes at his smart-ass remark.

Mr. Healey showed no reaction, seemingly used to Lip's attitude. "What are your plans for the summer?"

"Probably pretty much what I did last summer; drink too much beer, smoke a lot of weed."

"Wrong. You're gonna build up your resume for your college applications." Daniela noticed the eye-roll Lip barely held back as Mr. Healy showed Lip the clipboard he held in his hands. "You're a poor kid from the South Side and you got a 4.6 and that's great but you're gonna need a full ride."

Lip dropped his head, practically giggling to himself prompting the older man to ask what was so funny.

"It's just that…" he chuckled again. "Why does everyone think I'm going to college?"

Mr. Healey hit him on the head with his clipboard making Daniela laugh behind them and Lip subsequently glare at her. "Dummy. You're going to college. And you're gonna graduate and then get your masters and your doctorate. Then you're gonna make a boatload of money."

"He has a point Lip," agreed Daniela gently though it just caused his annoyed gaze to flick to her.

"What is this? A fucking intervention?"

"No," she denied firmly, standing up and crossing her arms. "We're just trying to help. You're too smart to be so stupid and not go to college."

"The girl has a point, Gallagher," nodded Mr. Healey.

Ignoring them, Lip switched the sander back on and pressed a piece of metal against it, drowning out whatever else the guidance counselor had left to say. Not having any of it, the man flicked it off.

"Spend the summer padding this resume."

Lip scratched his head. "Doing what?"

"I don't give a shit. Teach brain-damaged kids how to make explosives or the blind how to blow glass."

"He already has a couple hundred hours of community service," informed Daniela. "Would that work?" Lip threw her an exasperated look but she didn't care. If he was being stubborn she was going to be stubborn back.

Mr. Healey nodded. "Okay. It's a start." He turned to leave but pointed a finger at Daniela. "You'll make sure he does it?"

At her nod, he finally walked out, leaving the teens standing there. Lip played with the safety glasses he had taken off again. He spared a look at Daniela who was leaning against her table, her eyes already on him.

Not saying anything, Lip headed back over to the sander, switched it on and got back to work. Daniela waited to see if he would say anything but after a few minutes of realizing he wouldn't, she stood with an eye roll and also walked out, feeling his eyes on her as she left.

/

She gave Lip the rest of the day to cool off knowing it wouldn't be the best idea to continuously pester him about college and piss him off. Instead, Daniela gave him some space until he was ready to talk to her. It hadn't taken long before he pulled her aside after school to apologize.

With the promise of going along with him to the robot competition, she made her way home to freshen up. A shower and a fresh pair of clothes sounded enticing to the girl as she headed inside, her ears picking up on sounds coming from the kitchen.

Following the noises, Daniela came to a stop, spotting Jakob making himself a sandwich, still clad in his police uniform. He was fresh out of police school and- thanks to a couple recommendations from Tony- was offered a position at the same station as him.

"Oh. You're actually home today," she joked and leaned against the archway into her kitchen. Her brother had been spending fewer nights at home and more at the anonymous female friend's she had yet to meet or know the name of.

Startled, Jakob peeked over his shoulder at her and continued with his sandwich. "I could say the same to you. Your bed looks like it wasn't even slept in last night."

"I stayed at the Gallagher's."

"With Lip?" Asked her brother coyly and Daniela picked up on the brotherly-protectiveness in his tone.

The girl had avoided any unnecessary social situations between Lip and her brother, knowing how Jakob would be. She knew he didn't fully trust the boy based on the rumors he had heard about Lip and the situation with thinking he knocked Karen up.

"Yes, with Lip," she responded with a roll of her eyes. "I'm heading out again soon, though. We're going to some robot thing."

"Just you two?"

"Uh, no. Ian and Carl are gonna be there, along with Mandy I think."

Jakob hummed to himself, satisfied, and bit into his sandwich. "Good. That's good."

"Okay well, I'm gonna go get ready," started Daniela already heading towards the stairs.

"Dani," called out her brother, making her swivel around to frown at him.

"What?"

"Have a seat."

"Uh-oh. This sounds bad," said Daniela, sliding down into the chair Jakob had been patting. She watched suspiciously as her brother blew out a long breath, seemingly amping himself up.

"This is gonna be painfully uncomfortable for the two of us but considering mom and dad aren't here, it's my responsibility to give you the t-"

Daniela's eyes widened and she was quick to cut him off, shooting out of her chair and ready to leave.

"We are _not_ doing this."

Jakob pressed a balled up fist into his eye, sighing deeply. "I don't want to do this either but it would ultimately make me feel better if we did."

"And it would ultimately make _me_ feel awkward if we did. Besides, you're too late. Mom and I had that conversation a long time ago."

"Still," continued Jakob, his sister squirming beside him. "I think it's worth reminding you. I know you and Lip are teenagers and that your hormones are going crazy."

"This is not happening," whispered Daniela to herself, sinking into her chair and letting her face rest on the cool surface of the table.

"But you should always remember to be safe whenever it comes to doing… _that_."

"Right," nodded the girl once Jakob was finished. "Condoms. Stay safe. Got it. Thanks. Are we done now?"

"Yes." In a flash, she was out of her seat and halfway across the kitchen leaving her brother sitting there, deflated but proud of himself for being such an adult.

"Great!"

"Oh and Dani?" Called out Jakob once more.

"Yeah?"

"I want you to come home afterward and sleep in your own bed tonight."

The girl nodded her head, finding that more than reasonable. "Okay."

Giving her brother a smile, she finally headed up the stairs, more than ready to have a shower and wash off the awkwardness of that situation. If there was one person she certainly did _not_ want to discuss her sex life with, it was her brother.

/

Later that night, Daniela met up with Lip, Ian, and Carl. Ian had explained that Mandy had called ahead and told him she couldn't make it which the other girl didn't mind.

After paying the entry fee and dealing with the douchey college guy Lip had told her about, the group made their way to the hub of where the action was. Her eyes surveyed the place, taking in the cheers as a ring was set up in the middle of it all.

The closer they got, the easier it was for her to see the two robots fighting.

"This is such a geek-fest," she spoke into Lip's ear, the sounds of cheers and boos making it hard to hear anything. The boy grumbled, clearly rattled by her jibe despite her not meaning it in an offensive way. "I like it. It's fun," she assured him, giving his arm a light squeeze.

Lip seemed to feel better about it and soon they all got enthralled with the fight, counting down the rounds until it was Lip's turn.

Daniela was particularly engrossed, letting the energy in the building amp her up. She began rallying for whichever robot she thought was better and booing the other. The whole scene made Ian and Lip laugh as they watched her.

Eventually, a voice called out through the speakers saying that Lip's robot (appropriately named Frank) would be up next. Daniela scowled across at his opponent, recognizing him as the college douche Lip had had a verbal dispute with. The guy looked incredibly smug, making Daniela rally behind Lip even more.

"You've got this," she grinned, dropping a quick kiss on his mouth for luck and motivation. He smirked back at her, confident in how his robot would do.

" _Let's battle!_ " Not even a second after the announcer's voice rang out, the two fighting robots moved closer to each other.

Daniela wasn't going to lie; douche-face's robot looked pretty vicious but that didn't stop her from having faith in Lip's. Unfortunately for them, Frank was quickly caught in the claw of the other robot.

" _Ooh, Frank is in trouble already!_ "

"Fry the fucker, come on." Lip ignored Ian's suggestion, focusing on the sparring robots and loosening Frank from the other's grip.

The group was on the edge of their seats as he maneuvered Frank around the ring, the other piece of metal hot on its tail. It continued like this as Daniela and Ian urged Lip to finish him off but he continued to brush them off, waiting for the right moment.

It came when he was able to reverse Frank away from the other robot and there was a tense silence as the two machines sat staring at each other for a few moments, curious as to what the other was going to do.

" _Rent-A-Raptor is on the move!_ " Daniela was nearly chewing her nails from the amount of nervousness and anticipation she was feeling. Douche-face's robot inched closer to Frank but Lip continued to wait.

Finally, he flipped a switch on his controller making the green light on the robot switch on. Pressing it again, a bright red beam shot out from the laser they had stolen, aimed right at the 'Rent-A-Raptor'.

The crowd fell silent in wait of what was going to happen; the only sound being the low hum of the laser as it fixated itself on the other robot. With a loud pop, the other robot blew up, sending the crowd into roaring cheers.

" _He did it! He did it!_ " Cried the announcer excitedly. " _We have a new champion!_ "

High on adrenaline, Lip wasted no time grabbing Daniela and smashing his grinning mouth against hers. She pulled away with a laugh and placed her hands on his cheeks.

"You did it!"

"Were you doubting me?" He asked smugly, snaking an arm around her waist to pull her deeper into his side. He dropped his forehead to hers as she shook her head.

"No," beamed Daniela, reaching up for another short kiss. "I'm so proud of you."

"Well, we can celebrate more thoroughly later."

She tsked, her eyes dropping. "I can't. Jake wants me at home tonight."

Lip nodded, shrugging with a smirk. "You'll just have to sneak me in."

"And risk getting caught? No thanks."

"Oh, like you haven't already done that," chuckled Lip humorously, his grin widening when the girl lightly slapped his arm.

/

Lip managed to convince Daniela to stick around for dinner, to which she happily obliged. The pair were upstairs hanging out with Ian when they heard Fiona trickle into the house. Heading down, the boys cheered and held up the gold trophy to show their sister.

"You won?" She beamed, stepping forward to look at the object.

"Oh yeah. Nothing left but smoking metal and bruised geek egos," answered Ian as they all took a seat at the kitchen table.

"Yeah, plus 400 bucks cash prize for first place," added Lip, slapping the money down on the table. "Thought I could help out a little with the property tax bill."

Daniela got up and moved to where Steve was finishing off the pot of spaghetti.

"Need some help, Jimbo?" The man sighed, a look of amusement on his face at the use of her nickname for him.

"Yeah, if you could just put some plates and cutlery out that'd be great." Grabbing what she needed from the cupboard, Daniela laid out a setting in front of each seat.

Feeling a hand wrap around her wrist, Lip tugged her down to the seat beside him, pressing a kiss to her forehead before taking a drink of his beer.

"Here we go, guys! Dinner is served," announced Jimmy as he carried the bowl of spaghetti over and placed it in the middle of everyone. The table fell into light-hearted chatter as they passed food over one-another.

Swirling some spaghetti onto her fork, Daniela ate and listened to Ian and Lip talk excitedly about the competition. The current topic of conversation was Lip's opponent.

"Did you see his face when it blew up?" Laughed Ian loudly. Fiona's wide eyes flicked between the boys in confusion.

"You blew it up?"

"Yeah. It was awesome," added in Carl who already had pasta sauce all over his face. Daniela huffed a laugh, passing the boy a napkin to wipe his face.

She popped a forkful of pasta in her mouth, noticing the happy expression on Ian's face drop as he stared at something behind her. Frowning, she swiveled around in her chair, stopping when she saw Frank standing there looking oddly well-groomed.

The rest of the table caught on quickly, the conversations dying down entirely as they all stared at the man who had been gone for 127 days. No-one said anything, their expressions all stoic.

Debbie was different, slowly rising out of her chair, a large smile growing on her face.

"Daddy," she whispered with wonder, pushing her way behind Lip and Daniela's chairs to get to her father. "Daddy!" The girl wrapped her hands around his frame, shocking Frank who didn't respond to her welcoming for a moment.

Sighing, Jimmy turned his attention back to the table.

"What were you saying about these Robot Wars?"

His question brought the conversation back, almost like it hadn't been completely interrupted by Frank's return. Daniela smirked into her cup and relaxed in her chair, feeling Lip's arm come to rest along the top of it.

* * *

So that happened… I know it might seem a little sudden but keep in mind that there was a huge time gap between the two seasons and as you saw throughout this chapter, there was a mini flashback scene explaining how it all happened. Those are gonna keep coming in the next few chapters just so it's more understandable.

Hopefully, you enjoyed it though! It was a long time coming but FINALLY, they are together. I'm pretty excited for this season.

Oh, and 10 cookies to whoever noticed the 'Misfits' reference.

 _Special thanks to_ : BehindGrayEyes, xenocanaan, gossamermouse101, blue Wren, thisisntcalista, ItsMalecNotLeviosa, TheDivineMsEm, Nascarfan030524, bluesweird, purplepeacoat, AppoloniaAstria, DarkFireAngel00, dannyboi2, DoctorWhoObsessed7, GuardianAngel45, Eboyd089, PippaLuck, estafanypenacornejo, asdfghjkl1292, leafery, Ardensteele, HelloFellowHuman, IcePhoenix12360, K1N6K0N6, dobrevax, KiaraI, gmaya1105, jazztullock, KristinaSmiley, Tali Alioquin, icantfindacreativeusername, mysticfairydancer, BlueShadowFire18, animefan3250, HaleStorm5, Tvdqueen2000, 99, cruciosnape, rainydays99, i-heart-themarauders, gingerstrikesagain, Phaesphoros, SunnySideUp25 and TheBoulevardofBrokenDreams!

Fuck that was long. Cheers!

 **REVIEW!**


	25. The American Dream

**Chapter 25.**

I got so many great responses for the last chapter which was amazing. So many of you are curious as to what Mandy is up to, which will all be revealed eventually. There are also flashbacks in this chapter which will flow into the next one and the present time.

 **Also** , I made some edits to chapters 1-10. Mainly grammar and format wise but there are new scenes sprinkled in there that I think really enhance the dislike Lip and Daniela originally had for each other.

So, if you're feeling up to it, I recommend you go through and read them, otherwise enjoy!

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shameless.

* * *

A loud thump outside alarmed Daniela as she made her way down the stairs. Eyeing her front door curiously, she opened the door, sighing at the sight.

"Debs, what are you doing?"

The young girl was attempting to pick up the slumped figure laid out on Daniela's front porch. Their nostrils stung at the stench of Frank covered in what seemed to be urine. Whether it was his or not, Daniela wasn't too sure and really wasn't keen on figuring it out.

"I'm taking Daddy home," heaved the younger girl, tugging on her father's arm once again, finally managing to get him up.

"Uh, I don't think that's the best idea, Debs."

"Why not? It's his home."

Daniela sighed and crossed her arms. She understood that Debbie was the last of the Gallagher children to have her eyes opened to the complete and utter disappointment Frank was but she didn't want to hurt the poor girl's feelings.

"Yes, but he's been gone a long time and besides, he doesn't have a room anymore."

"What?" Slurred Frank angrily, stumbling around and almost causing Debbie to topple over as she supported his weight. As he opened his mouth, Daniela was greeted with the rotting smell of his breath, making her gag.

"I better warn your brothers," hummed the teenager, already turning back into the house to grab her phone. Debbie shrugged and pulled Frank closer to her.

"Come on, Daddy."

Finally finding her phone, Daniela shot a quick text to Ian.

 _CODE RED: Debbie on her way w/ Frank._

A few seconds after her message was sent, she got a reply.

 _OH FUCK._

Changing quickly, Daniela brushed a hand through her hair in a pitiful attempt to rid it of the knots but ultimately deciding to just tie it into a bun before heading over to the Gallagher house.

As soon as she stepped through the door, she could hear the chaos going on upstairs. Yelling voices she distinguished as Lip, Ian and Frank rang out the closer she climbed up the stairs, eventually spotting Debbie still supporting her father down the hallway. Her brow lifted when she walked past the bathroom, coming face-to-face with Jimmy who had his pants down.

He sent her a tired smile and a nod as she continued on to Lip's room, feeling him tug her in as soon as he spotted her. He had taken to barricading the doorway with his drawers but there was still some space for her to squeeze through.

"Hey," he greeted, filling in the gap so that Frank couldn't push his way through.

"Come on, Daddy," guided Debbie, leading Frank past them. "You can sleep in my room."

"Wouldn't do it, Debs," called Lip in warning. "He's especially ripe this morning."

"Frank smells like dog piss," winced Carl, also barring his father from his room.

"Not dog piss!" Dismissed Frank, his words slurring. "Gary, the homeless guy."

The yelling died down and soon the Gallaghers started pushing their drawers back to their regular spots. Blowing out a breath, Daniela fell back on Lip's bed and rubbed her eyes, still feeling tired. She listened to the grunting noises of Lip shoving his drawer before feeling the bed sink beside her.

"Thanks for the warning," he said, wiping a hand over his face. "Debbie keeps letting him in."

Daniela shrugged, turning her head to look at him as he did the same. "No problem."

Lip's eyes flicked over her face before he moved closer to press his mouth to hers. Daniela welcomed him, her hands dragging up his arms to rest on his shoulders. His kisses grew more eager as his fingers toyed with the hem of her shirt before Daniela lightly pushed him off.

"We'll be late for school."

"Eh," shrugged Lip, sitting up and wiping a thumb over his mouth. "I was gonna skip my first few periods- get started on my community service."

"Okay," nodded Daniela, giving him a peck. It wasn't enough for Lip who pulled her back to him quickly. She laughed against his lips, bringing her head back to break the kiss. "I'm hungry. Breakfast?"

Lip groaned as Daniela slapped his knee, pushing herself up and down the stairs.

"Morning," she chimed, taking a seat next to Ian who was donning his ROTC gear. "Ugh. I forgot you had ROTC today."

"Hey," smiled her friend, taking a bite of his eggs.

"Toast, Ella?" Called Steve from the counter and she nodded eagerly.

"Please."

"Coming right up." A few minutes later, he set down a plate with two slices of toast on it. Thanking him, Daniela got to spreading some raspberry jam onto the bread. She munched happily on her breakfast, falling into easy conversation with Ian about the drills he had to do at his training.

"God, that sounds like way too much exercise," scoffed Daniela in mock exhaustion making her friend roll his eyes with a grin.

"If you put in hard work and dedication it gets easier."

"Wise words, G.I Joe."

"You know I hate it when you call me that," deadpanned Ian, pushing the eggs around his plate.

"You love it." The pair shared a chuckle as Jimmy rounded up Debbie and Carl.

"Time for school, let's go." Daniela smiled at each of them as they got up from the table and left, her eyes drifting to Lip who stared with narrowed eyes at Fiona.

Raising an eyebrow, she also got up from her seat.

"Hey, Jimbo. You think you could give me a ride too?" The man sighed at the use of the nickname she continued to use for him but nodded nevertheless.

"Sure thing, Ella."

"Thanks!" Daniela kissed Ian on the cheek and stood up, pushing the strap of her bag onto her shoulder. Making her way over to Lip, she managed to divert his attention from his sister long enough to give him a quick kiss. "I'll see you later."

"Yeah," nodded Lip, his voice growing softer.

"Bye Fi! Shotgun!" She called as she stepped outside. From the car, she saw Carl groan.

"You had shotgun last week." He turned his pleading gaze to Jimmy. "Why can't I sit in the front?"

"Because you play with all of the buttons when you're up the front," piped up Debbie, rolling her eyes in annoyance and pulling open the back door.

"It was one time!"

"My ears still hurt from you messing with the speakers," complained Jimmy as they all settled in their seats. Glancing at the kids in the back through the mirror and at the girl beside him, he checked to see if their belts were on. "Let's go."

When they pulled up in front of the high-school, Daniela threw a quick salute at the driver.

"Cheers, Jimbo."

His only response was a head shake and a three finger wave before he drove off. Sighing, Daniela hitched her bag strap higher on her shoulder and made her way inside. She couldn't wait until she graduated. Even though she didn't really have anything planned for herself, she just wanted to be done with high school.

As she approached her locker, Daniela grinned when she spotted Simon waiting patiently beside it, his books already in hand.

"Morning," she greeted, opening her locker.

"Hey. You ready for the test?"

Daniela threw her head back with a long groan that caught the attention of a few students passing by. "That's today?"

"Mhm. I saw Miss Thompson walking out of the office this morning. She is _not_ in a good mood." Curling her lip, Daniela closed her locker and began walking beside Simon.

"You think I could charm her into letting me do it tomorrow?"

Simon snorted making her glare. "Fat chance of that happening. Lucky for you, I copied my notes." Sure enough, he flipped open his binder to retract a few pages with equations and examples neatly written out.

Daniela's eyes widened with a gasp, her arms wrapping around her friend. "You're actually the best!"

"I know," shrugged Simon smugly, making the girl whack his arm lightly.

Chuckling, his eyes lifted to peer down the hallway, his gaze falling on another figure already staring back at him. He balked as their eyes made contact and his steps slowed, alerting Daniela, who had been chattering away.

"Simon?" She frowned, waving a hand in front of his face. "Simon!"

"Wha- What?" Daniela eyed her suddenly flustered friend, picking up on the faint pink in his cheeks.

"Are you blushing?"

"No!" He wiped a hand over his cheeks like it would help as the girl continued to watch him suspiciously. "Let's just go."

/

 **Two Months Prior.**

"You know, when you said you liked someone else, I wasn't expecting Lip," chuckled Simon as he took a seat at their lunch table. A grin tugged at Daniela's mouth as she sat across from him. It had been three weeks since she had given Lip the green light on their relationship and so far, so good.

"Though, I guess I should've. You two did get a lot closer. I don't think I ever saw you two interact much before then."

"Yeah, we didn't really see eye to eye," she confessed, her fingers fiddling with her sandwich. "I can't really explain it."

"You don't have to," reassured Simon, beaming at her. "As long as he makes you happy. But if not, he's gonna have to deal with these bad boys." He made a show of flexing his lanky arms, eliciting a hearty laugh from the girl across from him.

"Well, thank you for the concern." The boy rested his arm on top of the table, the humorous expression on his face being replaced with one of insecurity.

"I don't think Lip likes me very much," he mumbled looking down at his hands.

Daniela frowned back at him. "What makes you say that?"

"I don't know. He just seems kind of cold towards me."

"That's kind of how Lip is with people."

Simon tilted his head, unsure. "Yeah, but this is different. Like the other day, at lunch when I came to give you the notes from class; he death-stared me so hard I thought I was gonna fall into my own grave."

A giggle bubbled out of Daniela and shook her head at her friend. "I'm sure it wasn't that bad. But I'll ask him about it. There has to be a reason."

"A reason for what?" Asked Lip, sliding down next to the girl. She sighed, sharing a look with Simon who seemed a bit nervous now that the Gallagher was with them.

"A reason for why Miss Thompson has been in such a crabby mood lately," lied Daniela easily. Leaning in to kiss his cheek, Lip switched things up, angling his head so that he caught her lips instead. She made a noise of surprise but went along with it.

After a sufficient amount of time, Lip pulled away, turning his hard stare towards an uncomfortable Simon and placing his arm around Daniela's shoulder. She picked up on the change in his body language and sent Simon an apologetic look. She didn't know what was going on with Lip but she was going to put an end to whatever grudge he had against her friend.

/

"What's your problem with Simon?" Demanded Daniela, marching up to Lip's locker before fifth period.

He frowned back at her in confusion. "What problem?"

"I don't know. That's why I'm asking you."

"I don't have a problem with your little friend," claimed Lip, his condescending tone making Daniela grit her teeth.

"Then stop glaring at him. He thinks you hate him."

Lip chuckled under his breath and swung his locker closed. "Trust me. I don't."

"Good."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," shrugged Daniela simply. "I just don't want you making one of my best friends feel awkward."

Lip shot her a sharp look as they made their trek to class. "I thought Ian was your best friend."

"He is. That's why I said 'one of'."

"You two were looking a little more than friendly before I showed up." He had muttered it under his breath but Daniela still caught it. Coming to a firm stop, she narrowed her eyes at him.

"What?"

Not answering, Daniela leaned forward, her nose scrunched, and began sniffing the air around him. Lip's eyes followed her movements until he finally snapped. "The fuck are you doing?"

"Is that jealousy I smell?" Questioned Daniela, taking a step closer to the boy.

"What? No." At the sight of the girl's raised eyebrow, Lip rolled his eyes and began walking. "We're gonna be late for Physics."

"Since when do you care about being late?"

"Since you started asking me stupid questions."

/

 **Present Day.**

"Boo!" Whispered a voice in Daniela's ear making her let out a loud screech. Clapping a hand over her mouth, she whirled around and aimed a hard punch at Lip's arm.

"You know I get scared easily!" She whined, watching as her idiot boyfriend laughed, clutching his arm in pain.

"Yeah, it's hilarious."

"Fuck you," muttered Daniela but a grin was already tugging at her lips making the boy smirk. "How was community service?"

"Easy," shrugged Lip as they walked down the hall. "Met a couple of rich kids looking to tidy up the neighborhood."

"Ha! Good luck with that."

"Yeah, reckon I could make some money off them."

"Woah, woah, woah," paused Daniela holding up a hand. She cleared her throat. "You promised you wouldn't be getting into any trouble."

"No. I promised to not do any _serious_ trouble. I'm too smart to get caught."

"Mhm," nodded Daniela warily. "That's what you said before breaking into a college campus and stealing a laser."

"It's just a couple of Lakeshore kids- easy. Nothing messy. Besides, I have to rustle together some money fast considering Fiona went and spent the property tax money on promoting a night at the club."

"That was...impulsive."

"Tell me about it," scoffed Lip before their attentions were caught by someone calling out to him.

"Mr. Gallagher," greeted one of the teachers who Daniela taught Chemistry. "I just left Mr. Healey's office."

"The rumors about you two true?"

"He said you were supposed to ask me for a letter of recommendation." At this information, Daniela's ears perked up.

"Sure," brushed off Lip. "In his mind, I was supposed to do that."

"A letter of recommendation from a science teacher looks good on your college applications," stressed the teacher as Lip opened up the door of an empty classroom, gesturing for Daniela to go first.

"I bet it does."

Closing the door behind him and checking that it was locked, Lip turned back to Daniela, watching as she sat on top of the teacher's desk.

"Letter of recommendation?" She asked curiously, a single eyebrow arched. Lip rolled his eyes, coming to stand in front of her.

"Healey's idea." Placing a hand under her chin, he pulled her face to his until their lips made contact. As he moved his attention to her neck, Daniela tilted her head, deep in thought.

"Not a bad one either." She felt Lip's warm breath leave her skin as he pulled back to frown at her.

"As much fun as it is discussing Healey, I'd rather focus on what's going on right here," he gestured towards Daniela's partially spread legs. Huffing a laugh, the girl wrapped a single one around him, tugging him closer making him smirk devilishly.

/

Despite Daniela's knowledge that Lip was less than willing to go to college, she still ended up outside the guidance counselor's office at the end of the day. After spouting off some excuse to Lip that she had to get some homework off of a teacher, she made her way to Mr. Healey.

She knocked tentatively on the door hearing a voice grunt 'come in'.

"Ah, Miss Kaufman," acknowledged Healey, placing his sandwich down and wiping away the crumbs. "What can I help you with?"

"I want to talk about Lip," she stated, closing the door behind her.

"I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to discuss another student. However, I would be happy to help with your own future options."

"Undecided at the moment."

"I heard that you entered an art competition earlier this year," countered Healey, sitting behind his desk and gesturing to the chair across from him which Daniela took after some hesitance. He leaned forward, making a steeple with his hands. "How did that turn out?"

"Couldn't quite crack the third round," recalled Daniela, tilting her head. "I'm surprised I even got that far."

"I hear you're pretty talented. You thinking about pursuing it?"

"Eh," shrugged the girl suddenly feeling unsure about herself. "It was always more of a hobby. Besides, I don't think it would be the most practical thing for me to study."

"Who said it had to be painting and drawing pictures?" Frowned Healey, pulling open a drawer and grabbing a few brochures. "Today's generation is all about the technology and those hipster kids always looking for the newest trends. Not to mention the big part art plays in film or even architecture."

"I guess I never thought of it that way," shrugged Daniela making the man laugh in good nature.

"Here," he prodded, sliding the brochures in front of her. "Flick through some of these- might spark an idea about what you want to do. And if any do, come back and see me. I have some contacts to colleges with great art programs and even better scholarships."

"Um, thanks, Mr. Healey." Daniela grabbed the papers, reading over the names of the colleges. She couldn't deny that the idea was tempting.

Glancing back up at the man watching her with a knowing smile, she cleared her throat and shut the brochure. "I still want to talk about, Lip."

Healey waved a hand to stop her but was promptly cut off. "Cut the shit. We both know he's too dumb to not go to college. It's just the mission of getting him to apply."

"Maybe you could try and convince him," suggested the man with a shrug.

"You think I haven't already been trying? He can be pretty fucking stubborn."

Chuckling, Healey nodded his head. " _Oh_ , yeah. So what do you suggest I do?"

"I don't know. You're his guidance counselor. Guide him."

"I'm not a miracle worker, Miss Kaufman. I can only take him as he far as he wants to go."

Daniela sputtered over her words, arms flailing. "What about the letters of recommendation he was supposed to get from his teachers?"

"What about them?"

"Well, he doesn't have to personally ask for them."

Catching onto what she was implying, Healey leaned forward, his narrowed eyes analyzing her. "What are you suggesting?"

"His teacher said so herself. A recommendation from a science teacher will look good on his college applications."

"What are you going to do? Get him drunk enough to fill some in?"

"No," denied Daniela firmly before heaving a sigh. "I just want him to succeed you know?"

"You care about him," noted Healey making the girl's eyes flick to his. Chuckling under his breath, he regarded her with a raised eyebrow. "You just might be able to get through to him."

"One can only hope," muttered Daniela, rising from her seat.

"Take these too." The man placed some more college brochures on his desk and she noticed that they were for engineering schools.

"Thanks, Mr. Healey."

"Anytime. Don't hesitate to come back to discuss your own path again." Opening the door to his office, the girl sent him one final nod.

"I'll keep it in mind."

Making her way to the front of the school, Daniela quickly spotted Jakob's truck sitting out front. Her brother had decided to pick her up so that they could go straight to the hospital. He smiled at her when she hopped in, pulling his attention away from his phone.

"Hey, kiddo."

"Hey. Who're you texting?" She prodded, jutting her chin at his phone.

"None of your business," avoided Jakob, pressing the phone to his chest when she tried to lean over to see.

"Is it the mysterious lady friend I have yet to meet?"

"Yes. As a matter of fact, it is."

Daniela grinned knowingly, wagging her eyebrows at her brother who seemed uncomfortable under her gaze. "So when do I get to meet her?"

"Never," answered Jakob immediately as he turned the ignition.

"Rude." Daniela crossed her arms over her chest, pouting like a small child. "At least tell me her name."

"Why?"

"So that I can Facebook stalk her."

Jakob laughed loudly. "Now I'm definitely not telling you."

Giving up, Daniela dragged her schoolbag onto her lap, pulling out some of the college brochures Healey had given her. She flicked through one of the art college's, looking at the pictures of campus and dedicated students learning.

Jakob gave her a side glance, noticing the brochure. "Watcha got there?"

"College brochures," answered Daniela, flipping to the next page. Her brother nodded to himself, feeling pride swell in his chest.

"College, huh? Seen any you like so far?"

"I'm not even sure what I want to do after I graduate."

"You'll figure it out," shrugged Jakob giving her a reassuring smile.

/

 **Two months prior.**

"Are you a virgin?"

"God, subtlety really isn't your strong suit is it?" Drawled Daniela, narrowing her eyes at Lip who was currently reclined on her bed.

"No, I can't say it is," quipped the boy, flicking through her Physics homework. He looked at her in expectation. "So yes or no?"

Daniela rolled her eyes, snatching the papers back. "No. I'm not a virgin."

Lip's response was immediate. "Who was it?"

"Why does it matter?"

"Was it Simon?"

"No."

"Hm," a smirk crawled onto Lip's face. "I like him a little better now."

"So that's why!" Laughed Daniela, her eyes widening as she pointed an accusatory finger at a dumbfounded Lip.

"Huh?"

"Your little 'vendetta' against Simon. It's because you think we had sex."

"Didn't you?"

"No," she deadpanned. "Unlike you, I don't sleep with every person I see."

"Ouch. It's hardly _every_ person I see," replied Lip, rubbing a hand over his chest like he had actually been hurt. Daniela stared back at him unimpressed.

"You get my point."

"I do," Lip nodded and sat up so that his bed was rested against the bed frame. "But I also thought you two had a thing going on. I clearly remember seeing you two getting hot and heavy at Kev and V's wedding. It was disgusting. Oh, and your cute little date at the bowling alley."

"That ended before it even started. Kissing was about as far as we got."

"Poor guy. You didn't even let him get to third base."

"Yeah, well you won't be getting much further if you keep this up," threatened Daniela. They hadn't gotten to that step in their relationship despite Lip's efforts.

"I apologize."

"Mhm. I'll take it," grinned Daniela, leaning over to peck him on the lips. "Besides, I couldn't lead him on. It wouldn't have been right."

Lip pulled his head to frown at her. "Lead him on?"

"Yeah. You see, I figured out while we were eating dinner that I actually liked some other guy."

"Really?" Lip's smirk got bigger. "This guy must be pretty great."

"Actually he's a giant asshole," Daniela's quick response caused him to deadpan at her, unamused which made her laugh even more.

/

 **Present time.**

Daniela strolled into the Gallagher kitchen the next day feeling oddly well-rested. As per usual, the family was already buzzing around eating breakfast and getting ready for school. Ian was the first to catch her eye, quickly coming up to her.

"I need to talk to you," his seriousness almost threw her off before she nodded, frowning at him.

"Sure. What's it about?"

Ian shook his head, gesturing it to his siblings in the room. "Can't say here."

Giving her friend a nod, he took off up the stairs. Daniela sighed and moved to take a seat at the counter in-between Debbie and Lip.

"Where were you last night?" Asked Lip, spooning cereal into his mouth. Daniela closed her eyes. She had gone to see her mom after school and was supposed to come over after she got back home.

"Sorry. I forgot and ended up falling asleep." She left out the part where she had flicked through the college pamphlets Healey gave her all night until she passed out.

Lip shrugged. "That's okay. You didn't miss much," he turned his attention to his older sister. "Just Jimmy and Fiona's porno across the hall."

"Hey!" Butted in the woman defensively. "I told you to eat your cereal." Daniela giggled to herself, reaching over to swoop Lip's cereal into her mouth before he could.

He sent her a glare before clearing his throat. "So how's the club night thing coming?"

Fiona smiled excitedly. "Gonna be a big success. I'll probably make enough money to roll out another one. Take out a small loan- really get things going."

"So the ghetto girl thinks she can live the American dream huh?" Smirked Lip condescendingly, not fazed when Daniela nudged him.

"Maybe it's my time, Lip."

"Yeah well it doesn't work like that sis," claimed Lip giving up his cereal. "Because when you're poor the only way to make money is to steal it or scam it. Like Don King or Joe Kennedy."

Rising from her seat, Daniela groaned as she heard the voice of Frank trickle into the house.

"Daddy's home!"

"Oh god," she rolled her eyes, getting ready to leave. Peeping into the kitchen, she watched as the drunk was followed in by two more men.

"Just drop that over there," he ordered before they heard something clatter to the ground.

"Hey! That's my bike," fumed Ian, getting up to go look at it.

"Doesn't really work anymore."

"Yeah, because you bent the rim, Frank."

Daniela sat back in his chair, watching the whole scene play out. Frank and his new buddies came swaggering into the kitchen, wanting breakfast which Fiona quickly put an end to. Frank began spouting out some nonsense about money before pulling out a bag of cocaine and dishing some out to help pay the bills.

"That's about $300 right there," he claimed, tucking the baggie back into his pocket. "Let's go upstairs boys and take a nap."

"No Frank." Lip quickly got up to block the entrance to the stairs, with Ian coming to help.

"Lip, don't," called Debbie but Daniela placed a hand on her shoulder. The younger girl's eyes hadn't been opened yet to how bad Frank was but Daniela had a feeling they were about to.

"This is my house you have no right to keep me out of it," argued Frank, banging his chest against Lip's. The boy kept his expression blank, denying his father access. "I am an important part of this family."

"No, you're not," butted in Ian, cutting the drunk off. "You don't live here anymore."

Frank stared back at his son before finally relenting. "Fine. If that's the way you want it. I'll leave."

"Please," droned Daniela, her eyes narrowed at him.

Ushering his friends to follow him, Frank stalked towards the front door. Satisfied, Ian and Lip moved from the stairway, not realizing that they had just fallen into his trap. The three men took off up the stairs, pushing a cursing Ian and Lip to the side.

"That's it. Let's go!" Rallied Fiona, leading the group up the stairs.

Daniela could hear Frank telling his friends to pick a bed and followed their voices to Debbie's room. Her lip curled in disgust at the sight of one of them peeing on the floor.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" She yelled as Ian and Lip shoved him before quickly retreating once they got hit with his pee.

Once he had been shoved out of the room, Daniela turned his attention to the other man lying on Debbie's bed. Furiously, she grabbed his arm and began hauling him out of the bed.

"Come on you fucker," she hissed through clenched teeth. The man fought back, kicking his legs out at her. One kick managed to get her in the knee making her stumble. Still, her vice-like grip stayed on his arm and soon Ian came over to help get him up and out.

They had just gotten him out the door when the sound of something breaking rang out. Slowly, they both turned to see that Frank had fallen onto Debbie's popsicle stick project for school. They all stared, wide-eyed and waiting to see what would happen next.

"Well, it was a piece of shit anyway," grunted Frank, looking down at the mess. Daniela scoffed at him and crossed her arms, her posture softening as Debbie rushed out of the room.

Not caring, Frank dropped onto Debbie's bed, ready for a nap to nurse his hangover but the rest of his family wasn't about to let that happen.

"Come on, Frank! Get up."

"Let's go!"

"You're an asshole, Frank."

As they all pulled and prodded at him, they didn't notice little Debbie running back into the room until she was on the bed beating into her father with a pillowcase filled with bars of soap.

They all stepped back, just watching it happen. Daniela's eyes widened, her hand coming to rest over her mouth at the sight of the young girl.

"How could you do this?" Screamed the young girl, not letting up as Frank unsuccessfully dodged the pillowcase. "You get"- another hit- "out of my house"- followed by another one- "I hate you!"

Deciding that it was enough, Lip and Fiona grabbed Frank off of the bed and towards the door but Debbie continued to aim wildly at him. She had finally snapped and while Daniela knew it was going to happen eventually, she wasn't expecting it to be this heartbreaking or violent.

Debbie gave up and collapsed onto her bed, kicking and screaming. Sending the girl one last sad look, she placed her hands on Carl's shoulders and led him out of the room behind the others.

She headed down the stairs and out the door, Ian and Lip carrying a belligerent Frank in front of her.

"After everything I've done for you. This is the thanks I get?"

"Go to hell, Frank," seethed Daniela, rolling her eyes.

"Where should we leave him?" Asked Ian smugly, jostling his father for good measure.

"Where he belongs," answered Lip, gesturing to the bin. "Open her up, Carl."

Once the lid was opened, the boys unceremoniously dropped Frank in. When the man still continued to yell at them, Lip kicked the bin for good measure, effectively shutting him up.

"Asshole," cursed Daniela under her breath, sending the bin one last look before heading back inside, instantly forgetting about Frank.

* * *

So sorry this took so long. I had end of year exams so my focus was mainly on that and I was busy celebrating my birthday last weekend.

I hope you enjoyed! Let me know if you did or what you think Daniela should study at college.

 _Special thanks to_ : xenocanaan, DoctorWhoObsessed7, BehindGrayEyes, January Raines, gossamermouse101. SweetRiceball20, Rae, Guest, Raging Raven, Rae (again), funwithstark, blue Wren, KeepCalmAndFuckOf, randomindividual467, IlovemeforwhoIam, Coley-Oswin, MsRose91, NL92, HangingOnEveryWord, Lauren. C. Powell, Karlie1997, Goddess of Crazy, JasmineN, , AnimePrincessRach, death-note265, bellarke396, robinmathis1, AnUnhealthyAddiction, xlovekillsxmanyx, leefjys, Dillaardi, imwiththeband96 and Khaaaaaaan!

 **REVIEW!**


	26. May I Trim Your Hedges?

**Chapter 26.**

Thank you to all of those who let me know what they thought Daniela should study at University. There were some great responses so I really appreciate that.

Enjoy!

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shameless.

 **P.S** : That M rating comes into effect in this chapter. Just sayin'

* * *

"KIDS! BREAKFAST!"

Daniela, who had initially been sleeping peacefully, groaned at the rude awakening.

"Jeez. Who needs an alarm clock?" She muttered, sitting up and wiping a hand over her face. She could feel her loose hair sticking out and tied it into a bun with the hair tie on her wrist.

Yawning, Daniela looked beside her at Lip who was somehow still sleeping. The girl shoved his shoulder to rouse him awake but he simply waved her off, pulling his head deeper into his pillow. Rolling her eyes at him, she gave up and headed down the stairs, passing a tired Ian on the way.

"Morning," she greeted, managing a smile which he blearily returned.

They both walked down the stairs into the kitchen, frowning when they saw Veronica sitting there looking upset. Neither said anything as they moved around the kitchen grabbing bowls and cereal.

"What did you need to tell me by the way?" Asked Daniela once they had finally sat down. Suddenly remembering, Ian cleared his throat and waited till Veronica and Fiona moved into the lounge to talk.

"Mickey's out of juvie."

"No shit? I thought he still had a few months."

Ian shrugged, thinking the same thing. "Overcrowding."

Daniela nodded and had another spoonful of cereal. "So did he come and see you when he got out?"

"Yeah," confirmed Ian somewhat hesitantly. The girl beside him huffed a laugh as she took in the pink tinge of his cheeks.

The conversation was brought to an end when Debbie came bounding down the stairs with Lip trailing sluggishly behind.

"He's awake," marveled Daniela sarcastically as he slid into the seat beside her. Lip gave her a half-hearted glare, clearly still drowsy with sleep and poured himself a cup of coffee as Fiona came back into the kitchen.

She sighed and put her hands on her hips. "Debs, you ready for the store run? We can head down there now."

"Okay," nodded the little girl. "I need to get my coupon folder upstairs."

"Any requests?" Questioned Fiona to the three teens sitting at the table.  
"I'm running low on deodorant," said Ian as he stood up to clear his plates. Fiona nodded and waited for Debbie to come back down before they left for the shops.

/

 **Six weeks prior.**

"You never told me who your first was," noted Lip, eyeing her curiously one night. They were watching Scarface and the more they watched, the more Daniela realized it was one of his favorites.

"Well, you never told me yours."

"Caitlin Morris, seventh grade after gym class, very flexible," he answered instantly, giving her a cocky grin. "Your turn."

Daniela huffed, rolling her eyes. "His name was Brian, he was two years older than me. We met at the retirement home."

"Romantic." Lip snorted before taking a sip of his beer.

"He had 200 hours of community service for breaking and entering into his step-father's house and assaulting him."

"Not so romantic. So what? You two bond over bingo and 'The Young and the Restless'?"

Daniela shook her head, adjusting her legs which were spread out over Lip's lap. "We barely talked. I only ever saw him when I went to go visit my grandma. One day he started talking to me, asked if I was I interested in fooling around."

"And were you?" Lip asked, forgetting about the movie and giving her his full attention. Daniela merely shrugged.

"I was 15. Everyone was doing it so I thought I may as well do it too." She paused, releasing a long sigh. "After that, we started meeting up at his house, even after he had finished his community service. I knew it didn't mean anything to him and I was fine with that, I even enjoyed it for a while. But then it started feeling…empty."

"He was that underwhelming?" Scoffed Lip, raising an eyebrow at Daniela who frowned before realizing what he meant, slapping his arm lightly.

" _No_ . He was fine. I just- I don't know," she shrugged again, all of a sudden feeling very self-conscious. "It felt meaningless. Neither of us really knew each other. We were just fuck buddies. It didn't last much longer after that and I never spoke to or saw him again."

Lip nodded to himself as she reached the end of her little anecdote with one last, resigning shrug.

"I didn't peg you for the friends-with-benefits type."

"I'm not," confirmed Daniela, her eyes narrowing in curiosity. "Why did you want to know anyway?"

This time Lip was the one to shrug. "I wanted to know if it was the reason we haven't had sex yet."

Daniela sighed. She knew this was going to come up sooner or later. At first, Lip had been more than willing to give her some time to settle into things before they got that far. However, she had also noticed that more recently, he was becoming restless and knew exactly why.

It wasn't so much the sex that stopped her, it was more what it would mean after they did it. Daniela didn't want to admit that she had secretly been comparing herself against Karen and even Mandy. She wasn't like them and that worried her. She wasn't them.

Sitting up in her seat, Daniela moved closer to Lip, her soft eyes meeting his. "I know with Karen and Mandy it didn't take much to get them to fling themselves at you but I'm not that easy."

"I know you're not," nodded Lip. He didn't want to rush her but he was a teenage boy. There was only so long he could wait. "You've made it excruciatingly clear that you're not."

Daniela huffed a laugh and leaned forward to press her lips against his, quickly melting into the kiss.

/

 **Present.**

Daniela was still at the Gallagher house an hour late lounging on the couch beside Ian. They had planned to go out but the heat had stopped them so instead, they chose to stay inside the house with two fans blowing full force. The girl lazily flicked through the channels on the television but there wasn't much on.

She jerked upwards when a fuming Fiona burst through the door, her hands resting on the shoulders of a traumatized looking Debbie.

"You alright, Debs?" Frowned Ian when he noticed them. The young girl said nothing, too in shock. Fiona rubbed her shoulders in comfort and gestured for Debbie to go into the kitchen while she explained.

"Some asshole on the bus was masturbating to Debbie," she sighed, running a hand through her hair.

"What a fucking pig," Daniela spat feeling her anger rise. Beside her, she saw her friend echo her thoughts, his fists clenching.

"Who's a pig?" Asked Lip, coming down the stairs, stopping when he saw the expressions on the three's faces.

Ian was the one to reply, his teeth clenched. "A guy wanked off to Debbie on the bus."

Lip's mouth curled. "Fucking hell. Did you call the police?"

"Yeah," nodded Fiona. "They should be here soon to take a statement."

On cue, all four heads swiveled in the direction of the door when they heard a knock.

"That should be them."

Fiona sighed once more and went to open the door before showing the officer into the kitchen where a frozen Debbie was sat at the counter. The three teens followed them into the kitchen and soon Jimmy joined them, running his hands through Debbie's hair soothingly.

"Can you describe the perp?" Asked the officer, scribbling down in his notes.

"Red," answered Debbie, her voice carrying off. "Really, really red."

Lip frowned from the other side of the counter. "Like sunburn?"

"She's talking about his-"

"The guy, Debs," cut in Ian, realizing where Fiona was going. Daniela grimaced, hating that Debbie had to experience something so foul. "What did the guy look like? His face."

"How are you supposed to see his face behind that giant, red, one-eyed-"

"Okay!" Clapped Daniela, putting an end to that before turning to look at the cop. "I don't think you're gonna be getting much else out of her. Do you remember his face, Fiona?"

The woman scoffed and shook her head. "I didn't take the time, I was too busy hurling a can of beans at his head."

"Okay, I think I got it," said the officer seeming uncomfortable now. "We'll let you know if we find anything."

Lip sighed and stood upright. "Come on, Debs. Let's go get you a Bomb-Pop or something."

Daniela worked her way around the counter and placed a comforting arm around the girl's shoulders as the rest of the Gallagher kids followed. They made their way to the park, spotting an ice-cream vendor set up.

Lip bought Debbie and Carl each a popsicle before leading them over to a couple of park benches where they could sit and eat. He, along with Ian and Daniela, watched as Debbie simply stared at the popsicle. Her eyes were wide as she stared at the frozen treat and Daniela realized that the shape probably reminded her of the penis she had seen on the bus.

She shared a concerned look with Ian and Lip before deciding that it was probably best if she had a talk with her.

"Debs?" Daniela approached the distracted girl cautiously, glancing behind her at the boys who had taken Carl to the other side of the park.

"Do they all look like that? Red and shriveled? Like some kind of alien thing?"

Daniela tilted her head and took a seat next to Debbie. "They're not the prettiest things but I don't think they should be red. If they're red then there is definitely something wrong."

Debbie looked down at the melting popsicle in her hand. "I can't get the image out of my head."

"You shouldn't have had to see that, Debs," sighed the teen as she embraced the younger girl, feeling her arms wrap around her side for comfort.

Daniela's eyes flicked across the park, meeting Lip's. He nodded his chin at his little sister in question and she shook her head. Debbie was mentally scarred because of this and wasn't likely to forget it very easily.

Kissing the girl's red hair, Daniela gave her a warm smile and pointed to the dripping popsicle. "Are you gonna eat that?"

Debbie shook her head and handed it to the teen who took it happily before they made their way back home. As they pulled up to the house, Lip came up next to her, a cigarette hanging out of his mouth.

"Me and Ian were gonna check for any registered sex offenders in the area and go beat 'em up. You wanna join?"

Daniela laughed but shook her head. "I can't. I have to be at work in an hour but let me know how it goes." She leaned forward to peck his cheek and gave Debbie a reassuring shoulder squeeze before heading back to her own house to freshen up before she went to work.

/

She had been working for ten minutes and Daniela was already bored. A lot of the time, she was working by herself at the store because Ian's shifts were at different times or Linda would be too busy taking care of the baby and her other kids.

To pass the time, Daniela flicked through yesterday's newspaper while enjoying a stale donut she knew she would have to pay for later. She had just finished her donut when she heard the chime of the bell above the door.

Tearing her eyes away from the newspaper, Daniela's face lit up when she saw that it was Simon. He also noticed her, pausing and looking like a deer in the headlights.

"Hey, Si," the girl greeted, folding her paper and pushing it to the side so she could rest her elbows on the counter.

"Hey, Daniela," coughed Simon nervously before heading down one of the aisles. Daniela raised a brow, wondering what was up with him.

"You okay?" She asked he approached the counter with his items in hand.

"I'm fine."

"Okay…"

The boy coughed once more into his hand and looked to the side as she scanned the two items he had chosen. Her hand paused over one of them.

"They're not for me," Simon claimed, shaking his head.

Daniela wasn't so easily swayed. " _Right_. So who are they for?"

"Um. A friend."

Daniela deadpanned and placed the box into a small bag. "Simon. You know you're a terrible liar."

"I'm not lying," defended the boy sounding anything but genuine. Daniela would've continued to push but she could see the blush building up on her friend's cheeks and the nervous jittering of his hand as he handed her a ten dollar bill. She decided to let it go.

"Alrighty then. Also, I need to text you later to compare answers on that Trig assignment."

Simon nodded quickly, thankful that she had dropped the subject as she handed him his purchased items. "No problem. Thanks, Ella."

Skittishly, he made his way to the door, jumping when Lip opened the door before he could get to it. The Gallagher eyed him oddly before side-stepping him to move to the counter where Daniela was observing her friend.

"What's with him?" Frowned Lip, nodding his head in the direction of the closed door.

Daniela shrugged. "No idea." Turning away from the door, her eyebrow lifted at the sight of Lip in an oversized bright yellow t-shirt. "Why do you look like a 12-year-old?"

"That's why I'm here. I need to ask you something."

"Shoot."

"You know how me and Ian went pedo hunting?" Lip waited for the girl to nod. "Well, we found one a few blocks over. It was a teacher who had sex with one of their twelve-year-old students."

Daniela's lip curled in disgust. "Creep. What are you gonna do to him?"

"Her."

"What?"

"The pedophile is a chick," clarified Lip, reaching above the counter to grab a pack of smokes before placing it on the counter. "She was on the news not too long ago."

"And you think it's wrong?" Asked Daniela, frowning at Lip.

"Yes," he nodded as if it was obvious. "You don't think it's wrong?"

"No. I do. I just thought you would be one of those people who would think it's great to have sex with your teacher." Lip scoffed a laugh and rested her forearms on the counter.

"Maybe in college. But not when they're twelve."

Daniela tilted her head, seeing how it would be a bit different. "So what are you planning on doing?"

Lip tapped his hand on the counter, suddenly becoming a bit nervous. "Well," he started cautiously. "I had this idea."

Daniela's mouth thinned. "What?"

"Ian was going on about how she wasn't a predator and that there was nothing wrong with it so I thought I would lay a trap for her."

"A trap?"

"Yeah," he shrugged. "I pretend to be an innocent kid and see what she does. Then I get a picture for evidence."

Daniela sighed and leaned forward, looking at Lip with narrowed eyes. "And you came here to get my permission?"

"Well." Lip scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah. Think about it! We're proving to Ian and all the others that she's a pedophile who preys on innocent little kids who don't know any better."

Daniela shook her head, running her tongue over her teeth. Lip's eyes rested on her, waiting for her answer. After what seemed like minutes, she finally sighed and nodded her head.

"I cannot believe I'm letting you do this," she muttered to herself.

Lip's face lit up in excitement. "It's for the good of the community. I mean, what if it was Carl?"

"Mhm," nodded Daniela unimpressed but she was secretly happy that he had come to her instead of going and doing it anyway. "Well, this act of heroism better not go further than a peck, okay? Not even tongue."

Lip nodded and drummed his hands on the counter. "Don't worry. I'll be in and out." He paused when Daniela raised an eyebrow at his words. "Figuratively. Not literally."

"Go. Before I change my mind."

Lip leaned over the counter to plant a kiss on her lips and placed some money on the counter for his packet of cigarettes before leaving through the door. Daniela watched him go and blew out a long breath.

The rest of her shift passed by agonizingly slow until finally, the clock signaled that her time was up. On cue, Ian strolled into the K&G with none other than Mickey Milkovich trailing behind him.

"Hey," Ian greeted as he came to stand behind the counter with her. Daniela smiled and grabbed her things, her eyes moving to Mickey who was pulling on the security jacket he had become quite fond of.

"Kaufman," nodded the rough boy politely enough.

"Milkovich," returned Daniela flashing her best friend a smile and a wink before heading out the door, more than ready to go home.

/

Daniela covered her mouth to mask her big yawn as she finally made it back home. She frowned when she saw her brother's truck sitting outside the house. Usually, he had work during this time so she thought it was odd.

Shrugging it off, she opened the front door and noticed that it was unlocked already. Closing it behind her, she made her way into the kitchen to pour herself a glass of water before heading towards the stairs. She heard a thud that piqued her curiosity before her brother stumbled out of his room.

"Dani!" He said sounding flustered. Daniela's eyebrows raised at how heavily he was breathing. "What are you doing here?"

The teen looked around her in confusion. "I kind of live here. Why are you here? And why are you so sweaty?"

"Uh…" stumbled Jakob as he continued to throw nervous glances behind him at his bedroom.

Daniela eyed him weirdly before her brain clicked. "Oh my god."

"Dani-"

"Is she here?" She asked with wide eyes, trying to see over his shoulder but his door was closed.

"No," rushed Jakob making his sister roll her eyes.

"Pfft. Don't even lie." A Cheshire grin lit up her face as she tried to move passed him but she was promptly blocked off by Jakob's tall frame.

"No!" He cleared this throat to regain his composure. "You don't want to go up there."

"Why not? It's the perfect opportunity to embarrass you."

Jakob blocked her again, his tone becoming firmer. "Dani, no."

The girl frowned at her brother, wondering why he was acting so weird and took a step back to cross her arms over her chest.

"You're being awfully secretive about this girl. Who is she?"

"No-one. She's just some girl."

"Then why are you so against me meeting her?"

Jakob scrubbed a hand over his face. "I'm not. I just…"

"…What?" Asked Daniela with narrowed eyes.

"Dani, please. Do you think you could maybe spend the night at Ian's?"

"But you hate me staying over there now," pointed out Daniela.

"Yes but-"

He was cut off by the chiming of Daniela's phone. She pulled it out her back pocket to see that it was a text from Lip.

 _I need to see you. Now. _

Sighing, she turned her attention back to Jakob. "I guess you're in luck, brother. You two have fun." Giving her brother a pat on the shoulder, Daniela turned and headed out the door.

The Gallagher house was quiet when she walked in and she realized that the family was gone.

"Lip?" She called out curiously, climbing the stairs. At the sound of his name, Lip popped his head out of his head before quickly walking towards her. "Did you get it?"

Daniela only got a simple nod before Lip pulled her towards him, mashing his mouth against hers. Her mouth opened in quiet shock, allowing him to slip his tongue in while his hair got lost in her wavy locks.

Daniela responded to the kiss, the shock wearing off quickly as he surprised her once more and hoisted her up so that her legs were wrapped around his middle.

Not pulling away from her, Lip carefully maneuvered them to his bedroom before laying her down on the bed. His fingertips glided down her arms, lighting her up as they went along, pausing when they reached the button of her denim shorts.

Daniela bit her lip and propped her herself up on her elbows to watch as Lip quickly undid the metal button before tugging her shorts and underwear down eagerly. He eyed her hungrily before his attention turned back to the sensitive spot between her legs.

Teasingly, he traced his tongue along wet folds. A gasp fell from Daniela's mouth making Lip smirk up at her. He moved his head forward, tasting her again and feeling the tightness in his pants grow as he heard Daniela's soft whimpers.

She lifted herself off the bed, desperate to feel his warm mouth on her. Lip was more than happy to oblige, continuing his ministrations.

Daniela's fists clenched around the bed sheets as he began paying close attention to her clit. He sucked lightly on the small bundle of nerves, bringing her desperately close to the edge.

/

 **Five weeks prior.**

The knocking on the door caused Daniela's heartbeat to speed up. She ran a hand through her hair in an attempt to make it look good without looking like she went through a lot of trouble.

Taking a deep breath, her hand twisted the doorknob, pulling it open to reveal Lip. He nodded his chin at her with a small 'hey' before walking passed her inside.

In his arms was his Physics textbook that she had asked him to bring along so that they could work on some homework that was giving her a bit of grief.

"Where's your brother?" Asked Lip as he followed her up the stairs into her bedroom.

"He went out for drinks with some friends from work," was Daniela's simple answer, closing the door softly behind her.

Lip didn't think much of it and took a seat at the end of the bed. "Okay, so you wanna get started?"

Daniela said nothing, standing with her back to him. Her hand was still resting on the closed door and her eyes clenched shut as she tried to calm her pounding heart. She took another big breath before turning, crossing the room and bending down to plant a kiss on Lip's mouth.

He made a small groan of surprise but quickly settled into it, his hands coming to rest on the back of her neck to pull her down further. Daniela pulled back, breathless, and bit her lip.

"I lied," she confessed making Lip frown at her. "I don't want to work on the Physics homework."

Straddling his lap, Daniela watched with amusement as he eyed her position before his wide-eyed stare flicked back up to meet her own, his brain clicking. To nudge him along, the girl tugged at the hem of her t-shirt and pulled it over her head, dropping it unceremoniously to the ground.

She couldn't help but grin at his expression, seeing the heat in his eyes grow at the sight of her. His heavy gaze traveled over her chest, taking in the tanned skin and ample cleavage.

Dropping her head forward, she kissed him once more, letting him slip his tongue in. Lip, seeming to regain his train of thought, wrapped his arms around her back, his nimble fingers managing to expertly unclip her bra. He pulled it off of her body and quickly discarded it without a second thought.

Taking hold of one of her breasts and massaging it, Lip elicited a moan from Daniela that got lost in their kiss. She felt the heat pooling in between her legs as his fingers tweaked a nipple, making her bite his lip.

She tugged hurriedly at his own shirt, the two pulling away long enough for Lip to get it off over his head. Her hands roved over his toned chest and she felt his excitement grow against her thigh.

Leaning back, Daniela watched as Lip reached deep into the pocket of his jeans to retrieve a condom.

She raised an amused eyebrow. "Optimistic much?" Lip's boyish grin matched hers as he opened it.

"Just in case," he said as Daniela stood up so that he could get his pants down and the condom on. Once it was on, Lip moved further back on the bed, his head propping up against Daniela's bed frame.

He watched in anticipation as she moved to straddle him once more, the rest of her clothes already discarded. His hands roamed her body, traveling the curves of her hips to the soft skin of her stomach.

Lifting herself up, Daniela positioned herself over the evidence of Lip's attraction. A guttural moan ripped from both of their throats as she sank down onto him. The feel of her around him was almost enough to send Lip over the edge.

"Fuck," she swore sounding breathless. Her head dropped forward to rest on his chest as she got readjusted to this feeling she hadn't experienced in so long. Lip's grip on her hips grew tight and Daniela was sure there would be marks later.

Biting her lip, she pushed herself up, placing both hands on Lip's chest before slowly winding her hips around him. He felt like he was being tortured with the agonizing pace.

Daniela picked up her speed and soon, Lip was matching her strokes, using his grasp on her waist to bring her down on him even more. From his position underneath her, he marveled at how good she looked riding him.

"You look so fucking hot," he breathed raggedly, his voice jostling with the rocking of her hips.

Daniela leaned her chest towards his once again, giving him the opportunity to take one swollen breast into his mouth.

Her moans almost had him coming undone just by themselves as he saw that she too, was reaching her climax. Dropping one hand from her breast, Lip moved it to play with the small bundle of nerves at her core.

Daniela whimpered at the sensation and threw her head back, finally coming undone. Lip felt her tighten around him and lost his mind.

"Fuck," he groaned, twitching underneath her as he came.

Spent, Daniela pressed a kiss to the tattoo on his chest and moved off of him so that she was lying beside him. Both of their chests heaved and there was still that haziness in their eyes as they came down from their high.

Lip wrapped an arm around her, pulling her naked body to his own. She hitched a leg over him, turning her head to look up at him.

"I forgot how good that felt," she grinned as her finger began lightly tracing the triangle on his chest.

Lip huffed a small laugh and kissed the top of her head. "It was definitely worth the wait."

"You haven't seen nothin' yet."

Lip raised an eyebrow at Daniela who merely gave him a coy smirk. Placing his hand under her chin, he brought her mouth to his smiling one.

/

 **Present.**

Daniela blew out a long breath, her chest heaving as her and Lip both came down from their high. The boy lay beside her, equally worn out.

"Damn," she murmured, finally breaking the silence.

Lip rubbed a hand over his face as his chest rumbled with a chuckle. "Yeah."

"What got into you?" Asked Daniela, rolling onto her side so that she was facing him.

Lip simply shrugged. "Nothing. I just felt like it."

Daniela dropped her eyes from his and turned to lie on her back again. She could tell that that wasn't the whole truth. "Well, I'm certainly not complaining."

Her fingers toyed with the thin bedsheet poorly covering their naked bodies.

"How did it go with the pedophile?"

"I got the picture," answered Lip, sounding like he didn't really want to keep talking about it. It made Daniela nervous.

"Was it just a kiss?" She asked, looking at him again.

Lip nodded. "Yeah."

Daniela chewed on her lip, debating whether or not to continue.

She did.

"Was she hot?"

"What?" Lip sat up to frown at her. Daniela fumbled with the sheet some more, not looking at him.

"The teacher. She must've been to get you all worked up like that." She heard Lip sigh before she felt his hands come to softly grab her cheeks, pulling her attention away from her fingers so that she could stare at him.

"It was just a kiss," he said honestly. "She wanted to go further but I stopped her. I swear."

Daniela nodded, silently noting that he didn't answer her question. She tried to not let it get to her but it wasn't that easy. She didn't know why she had even let him do it. She liked to think that she could trust him but something about his behavior had her questioning otherwise.

Pulling away from him, Daniela threw the sheet off of her and began putting her clothes back on.

"Where are you going?" Frowned Lip as he watched her curiously.

Daniela paused after buttoning her shorts and turned back to him. "I need to run an errand."

She leaned in to give him a long kiss; long enough so that she could easily swipe Lip's phone off of the nightstand without him noticing and slip it into her back pocket.

"I'll be back soon."

/

Daniela didn't know why she was here. Actually, on second thought, she did.

Her hand was wrapped tightly around Lip's phone as the other knocked lightly on the door. She had found the place easily enough. All it took was a quick look online at the registered sex offenders in the area, narrowing it down to the closest one.

She waited with baited breath for the door to open. It finally swung open.

"Can I help you?" Asked the woman, eyeing the girl cautiously, half-hidden behind her door.

Her words fell on deaf ears though as Daniela took in her appearance. The woman was pretty- very pretty actually and it sparked a flame of insecurity in the teen. Her eyes trailed over the long, blonde locks and bright blue eyes. She was undeniably Lip's type.

She reminded Daniela of Karen.

"Excuse me? Can I help you?" Prodded the woman again, managing to snap the younger girl out of her thoughts.

"Yes, you can," answered Daniela, her stare hardening. "I want you gone within the next twelve hours."

The woman gaped. "I don't understand. This is my house."

"Uh-huh," Daniela nodded and held up Lip's phone to show the incriminating photo. "And this is a photo of you kissing a minor. Do you understand now?" She allowed the former teacher time to gawk at the image before tucking it back into her pocket.

"I-I didn't know. He-"

"Yes, you did," accused Daniela as she death-glared the woman. "But that's what you loved about it, right? You like taking advantage of naïve children who don't know any better. Get your pathetic pedophilic ass out of this neighborhood and never come back."

Daniela turned to leave but paused and swiveled back around.

"Oh. And my brother is a cop who would be more than happy to see this photo. Just in case you needed a little extra motivation to hurry your ass up."

The blonde had broken down into sobs, her head falling into her hands as she realized that she had been caught once again. Daniela scowled at her.

"People like you disgust me," she spat before finally leaving.

* * *

A little bit of tension is brewing, yikes.

 _Special thanks to_ : icantfindacreativeusername (twice), DoctorWhoObsessed7, xenocanaan, SweetRiceball20, gossamermouse101, spud329, Guest, Rae, TheFriz99, GxMxM, emmasiroki2, , Miranda Pippin, gabbylarson, koppe527, Just Lindsey, fashionphysician, mereeedithh, InsameGamer1823, Crash88, dreamling, kiralol101 and JustineL00!

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	27. The Helpful Gallaghers

**Chapter 27.**

Enjoy and thank you for the 150+ reviews!

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shameless.

* * *

Daniela wiped the sleep out of her eyes and walked through the hallway of the Gallagher house, pausing when she heard splashing in the bathroom. Frowning, she moved closer to see Debbie submerged underneath the water, her eyes scrunched in determination as she held her nose. The little girl finally sat up, her lungs gasping for air.

"What was my time?" She asked Daniela as she wiped hair out of her eyes.

"Huh?"

"I'm trying to hold my breath for more than 90 seconds so the kids down at the Sullivan Street pool don't drown me," Debbie explained, pulling herself out and grabbing a towel. "I'm nearly there."

The teen shrugged. "I'm gonna be a lifeguard there this summer so I'll keep an eye on you."

Daniela gave the girl a smile before turning and heading down the stairs where Carl was getting ready to leave for camp. She wasn't even sure how Frank had managed to get him into one. Apparently, he had won it.

"You all set?" She asked him, eyeing his rucksack. Carl nodded, his eyes becoming sadder before he took her by surprise and wrapped his arms around her.

"You're really cool, Ella. I know I haven't told you that before but I thought I should. Just in case."

Daniela stared down at his shaved head oddly but returned the hug. "Thanks, Carl. Have fun at camp."

She ran her hand over his bristly head soothingly as Ian came down the stairs with his ROTC sleeping bag.

"Wow," grinned the boy. "Thanks, Ian."

Feeling a buzz in her pocket, Daniela pulled out her phone and saw that Simon was calling her.

"Si, what's up?"

Her friend sounded jittery over the phone as he spoke in a hushed voice. "I was wondering if you and Lip would be able to help me out with a friend." He paused to clear his throat and regain some of his composure. "She's kind of going through some trouble right now and I think you two could help her out."

"Uh. Sure. I guess we could come," Daniela nodded just as Lip walked through the front door to say goodbye to Carl. "Where should we meet you?"

"I'll text you the address," supplied Simon hurriedly before hanging up.

The girl frowned down at her phone and turned to Lip who was finishing up his conversation with his little brother.

"What was that all about?" He asked, nodding to her phone.

"Simon wants us to go and help him out."

This time, Lip frowned. He wasn't exactly close with Daniela's friend even after she had cleared the air about their past relationship.

"With what?"

Daniela simply shrugged as she felt her phone vibrate again seeing that Simon had texted her the address.

Turning it towards Lip, she showed him the message. "That's his friend's address."

Once he read it, Lip couldn't hold down the deep chuckle, noting Daniela's clueless look.

"What?"

He shook his head, not wanting to spoil the surprise. "Nothing, but this should be fun. Let's go."

Saying one final goodbye to Carl, the couple left the house and set off on their journey to help Simon's friend. The entire way there, Daniela continued to pick up on the amused smirk that seemed to be glued to Lip's face and she wasn't sure why but it annoyed her that she was out of the loop.

The closer they got to the address, the more she started to recognize her surroundings, a feeling of dread settling into her chest. A crazy thought popped into her mind but Daniela wasn't willing to accept it. However, as they approached the dreaded house, her fears became truer.

"You're kidding," she drawled as she took in Simon sitting beside Mandy on the front steps of her house. At the sound of her voice, both heads whipped to her and Mandy's eyes narrowed.

"You called her?" She accused Simon, angling her body away from him while sending him a vicious glare.

"This is the friend?" Asked Daniela similarly, pointing a disbelieving finger at the Milkovich.

"Why the fuck did you call her?"

Simon was floundering under the intense glares of the two girls. Lip, who was standing behind Daniela, watched the whole scene with barely contained amusement. "I thought they could help."

"Hold on," interrupted Daniela as she pressed her fingers to her temples. "What's going on here?"

"Well," Simon trailed off, scratching the back of his neck.

"This should be good," muttered Lip having already figured it out.

"We've been fucking," Mandy announced bluntly, standing up in defense and fixing her glare on the other girl.

"Yeah... What she said."

Daniela was shocked into silence. This had come completely out of left field. Never had she anticipated this happening, least of all between such an odd pairing.

Mandy seemed satisfied with her stunned reaction, getting what she wanted and Daniela took note of it. She had done this to get a rise out of her. And she had succeeded.

It also struck the girl that both of her best friends had taken up with two Milkovich siblings. It made her want to laugh.

Sensing Daniela's anger, Lip stepped in. "What exactly did you call us here for? Apart from dropping this little bombshell on us."

Mandy's eyes flicked to him as if finally registering that he was there too. Instantly, her demeanor changed.

Simon coughed uncomfortably. "Right. Well, Mandy's sister-"

"You have a sister?" Frowned Lip.

"Half-sister," deadpanned the girl through gritted teeth. She was still pissed off at Simon for telling Daniela. She didn't want him to call her but she didn't even think he would.

"Anyway," continued Simon. "She called this morning saying that her mom overdosed and that she didn't have anyone else."

"And what does that have to do with us?" Daniela finally chimed in, having broken out of her daze to look between the two in confusion.

Mandy continued to glare at her. "Great question."

"I thought maybe you two could help convince Mandy that she should go and get her sister."

"It's not our decision," shrugged Daniela feeling annoyed at Simon for calling her here.

"What do you know? Something we can actually agree on."

Lip frowned, focusing on Mandy. "Maybe Simon's right."

All three heads swiveled to look at him. Daniela and Mandy in shock and Simon in happiness. He shared an apologetic look with Daniela before continuing.

"Look, we don't know what kind of people your sister is gonna be put with," he walked towards Mandy, watching as her crossed arms loosened. "You really want to take that risk? The kid should be with whatever family she has left."

As the Milkovich stood there in contemplation, Daniela stared at Lip, her eyes softening.

Finally, Mandy shrugged and dropped her arms back to her sides. "Even if I was to get and get Molly, she's all the way in Milwaukee. How am I supposed to go get her?"

"There's always the ice cream van," offered Lip but Daniela quickly shook her head.

"That thing won't make it ten miles."

"We could take my mom's car," piped up Simon, grabbing everyone's attention. "We'd have to steal it though because there is _no_ way she'd let me take it willingly."

"Sounds like a plan," nodded Lip as he rubbed his hands together. "You go get the car and meet us back there."

Mandy perked up. "You're coming?"

"We're going?" Asked a confused Daniela at the same time. He looked between the two and shrugged.

"Yeah, why not?"

Daniela raised an eyebrow, dropping her gaze to the ground where she scraped her shoe back and forth. She had a few reasons as for why not. One very big one literally glaring across from her.

A sly grin spread on Mandy's face as she looked Lip up and down appreciatively. "I have no problem with that."

"Of course you don't," muttered the other girl under her breath.

"Mandy?" Called Simon expectantly making the girl huff as she was forced to pull her attention away from Lip to the other boy's smiling face. "You coming?"

Daniela's narrowed eyes followed the girl's movements as she grudgingly trailed behind Simon to get the car. Once they were a safe distance away from the house, she turned to Lip, folding her arms over her chest in wait of an explanation.

"What?"

"You know what I'm gonna say."

Lip heaved a sigh. "It's no big deal."

"No big deal?" Stretched Daniela incredulously. "Lip, you're volunteering to help rescue her sister- something that can be taken a lot more seriously than you think. How is that not a big deal?"

"All I want is for the kid to be taken care of," defended Lip, holding his hands up. "It has nothing to do with Mandy. Besides, she has Perkins now."

"Oh please," Daniela rolled her eyes at him. "You saw how she was. She barely acknowledged him. The only reason she agreed to this is because you said it would be a good idea."

"You're reading too much into this," argued Lip, shaking his head.

"No. I'm reading into it just enough. She still likes you."

"Then why is she screwing Perkins?"

"Because she's mad!" Daniela's voice raised and her hands flew up in the air before moving between them. "At you and at me- mainly me. Why else would she go after Simon?"

"I don't know maybe she likes him."

She sighed to herself, trying to regain her composure. "Before all of this, she never spoke to him. She never even knew he existed. Then suddenly she's showing an interest in him when she knows he's one of my best friends. That doesn't seem odd to you?"

Lip simply shrugged, not seeing what the big deal was. "Maybe they started talking one day and she's moving on. You should be happy. You don't have to worry about her."

Daniela's gaze dropped back to the ground feeling like she should be worried.

It had been a week since the whole teacher/pedophile incident and since then, she had been a lot more on guard about Lip's actions. Her insecurities were still getting the better of her and Lip jumping at the chance to help Mandy rubbed her the wrong way.

At her silence, Lip sighed and walked towards her. "You don't have to worry about her." He said with emphasis as he took hold of her shoulders to help get the point across.

Daniela's shoulders loosened and she uncrossed her arms. "I still don't like this whole thing between her and Simon though."

"Don't forget that Ian- your best friend- was in a similar situation with Mickey. You managed to look past it and accept it despite the differences you had with Mickey. Why can't this be the same?"

"Because you weren't having sex with Mickey. Unless there's something I don't know about."

Lip's chest rumbled with a deep laugh as he wiped a thumb over his nose. "I just want to help her sister. That's all. I know how fucked up the foster care system can be."

Daniela frowned at him. "You were in foster care?"

He seemed reluctant to share but did nevertheless, shrugging it off. "It was back during one of Frank and Monica's drug binges. We weren't in there for long but it was long enough to know that no kid should have to go through it."

She watched him shuffle uncomfortably and began to wonder what horrors he had seen. Placing a hand on the back of his neck, Daniela pulled him towards her, bringing her other arm to wrap around his torso.

He settled into her arms before pulling back, the topic drifting away as they moved onto happier conversation.

Fifteen minutes later, they heard the toot of a horn and turned their heads to see Simon excitedly driving his mom's car their way. Beside him in the passenger seat, Mandy rolled her eyes and grumbled under her breath.

/

Needless to say, the entire car ride to Milwaukee was painstakingly awkward.

Lip had taken over the driving once he realized Simon was terrible at it. Mandy was still in the passenger seat and still throwing glances at the boy beside her, striking up conversation much to the irritation of Daniela.

She watched with narrowed eyes as the other girl laughed outright at something Lip said that wasn't even that funny. Simon sat beside her looking a little put out at how giddy Mandy was being with Lip. Daniela noticed this, feeling bad for him. He didn't know he was just being used as a way to get back at her.

Leaning across, she whispered to Simon. "Am I the only one that finds this awkward?"

"Yes," answered Mandy bluntly having heard her. She twisted in her chair to look at the older girl. "Tell me. Why are you here again?"

Daniela grit her teeth, a re-buttle all set to go when Simon chimed in.

"I don't have a problem with it," he shrugged, popping a couple of chips into his mouth that he had packed for the trip. "I actually think it's kind of funny. Think about it, we've all shared spit now."

Daniela's face was one of disgust as she shook her head. "You're disgusting." From the front seat, an amused Lip chuckled under his breath catching his girlfriend's glare in the rear view mirror.

When they finally arrived outside of Molly's apartment, Daniela wanted to get out of the car and kiss the ground. Mandy stared up at the run-down building through the car window, seeming unsure.

"Would you come with me?" She asked, turning to Lip. He looked like he had been put on the spot and glanced between her and Daniela who was watching with a raised eyebrow from the backseat.

"Uh, sure." He unbuckled his belt before following the Milkovich into the building. Daniela huffed and sunk into her seat, glancing sideways at Simon.

"Are you and her together now?" She finally asked, breaking the tense silence.

"No," Simon shook his head. "She said it was just sex."

"How did this even happen?"

"She started talking to me at school," began Simon hesitantly. "And then she started getting more bold in her advances until we finally just…"

"Fucked?" Guessed Daniela, using Mandy's terminology.

"Yeah. Please don't be mad at me."

Daniela finally looked at him properly, her head tilted and her eyes softened. "I'm not mad at you, Si."

"Don't be mad at Mandy either. She's not as bad as you think."

At that, Daniela scoffed. "Simon. She's barely acknowledged you at all today." Her friend sighed to himself.

"I know that she still has feelings for Lip."

"Then why are you getting involved with her?" Simon simply shrugged not entirely sure himself. He liked Mandy, that much he knew.

When she wasn't being completely cold to him, he could spot those little traits in her that he enjoyed. He knew she had only shown an interest in him because he was friend's with Daniela but he hadn't really cared and he quickly began enjoying their little meet ups.

The conversation was brought to an end when the pair saw Lip and Mandy returning to the car with a little girl they assumed was Molly. Simon opened the door, offering the girl a kind smile.

"Hi, I'm Simon. Mandy's friend."

"Molly," replied the girl as she moved to sit between him and Daniela. She frowned up at the other girl curiously. "Are you my sister's friend too?"

"No," echoed both Mandy and Daniela making them glare at each other.

Lip cleared his throat uncomfortably and looked at Mandy. "Where to next?" All eyes moved to her expectantly as she thought it out.

"I have an aunt who could take care of her," she grumbled hating all of the attention. The boy beside her nodded and turned the ignition, pulling away from the curb.

Daniela sighed and settled into her seat, preparing herself for the long ride back to Chicago.

/

"You brought a girl to my house without asking me first?"

Daniela stood off to the side with Lip watching as Mandy tried to convince her aunt to take her sister.

"You took me in when I needed it," she reasoned as they both looked over at a smiling Molly who was playing Patty Cake with Simon, their hands loudly slapping together.

The woman shook her head apologetically. "My MS has got real bad. I can't be taking care of little kids right now."

"Can you at least watch her until we find a place for her?"

"One day, you won't have your Aunt Rande to come to when you need help. That day is today." Mandy stared as her aunt closed the door in her face. Her jaw tightened as she turned to look at the others, her eyes falling to Molly who was occupied with Simon.

Despite her less than positive feelings for Mandy, Daniela still felt bad that the little girl was stuck with no place to stay. She had warmed up to her during the ride back, finding her bubbly and amusing despite the bad lot she was given in life.

Mandy huffed and crossed her arms. "Well, I'm out of ideas."

Beside her, Daniela heard Lip sigh. "She could stay at my place."

"You would do that?" Asked a shocked Mandy, her eyes softening.

Daniela glanced between the two, feeling her stomach twist. She knew Lip was just trying to do the right thing but that didn't stop her from pondering if it meant more than that.

Shuffling her feet, she walked to where Simon and Molly were. She felt Lip's eyes on her back as she leaned up against the fence purposely avoiding his stare.

"Can I join in?" She asked smiling down at Molly. The girl nodded eagerly, shifting her position so that they could play properly. Simon picked up on his friend's sadness and offered a small, kind smile.

It didn't take long for Mandy to agree to Lip's plan. She was rather eager about it, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear like she was blushing as they all piled back into the car.

This caused Daniela's anger to heighten. Lip, who attempted to talk to her on the way to the car, was promptly shut down as she slammed the door closed before he could get a word in. She wasn't in the mood. She just wanted to drop Molly off and then head home.

/

"Where have you two been?" Frowned Ian when they all filtered into the kitchen. His eyebrows raised as he took in the whole group and the little girl. "Who's this?"

"I'm Molly." She stuck out a hand which Ian shook, still confused. "Mandy's sister."

"You have a-"

"Half-sister," clarified Mandy with annoyance and the boy simply nodded.

"Right." His eyes traveled over all of their faces, still confused as to why Simon was standing in his kitchen or why Mandy and Daniela were even in the same vicinity.

Speaking of his best friend, the girl looked like she wanted to be anywhere else, her attention elsewhere. Ian also picked up on the worried glances his brother kept sending her way and began really wondering what had happened.

Catching Daniela's eye, Ian sent her a questioning look to which she just shook her head.

"Do you think Fiona will let her stay here?" Lip asked, gesturing to Molly.

 _Oh_ , thought Ian. _So that's why._

Now he understood why his friend was so mad.

Scratching his head, Ian shrugged. "I don't know. I guess we have a spare bed now that Carl's at camp."

"That's what I was thinking."

"She's upstairs if you want to ask her." Ian pointed a finger at the ceiling. His brother nodded and gestured for Mandy and Molly. At that moment, Simon's phone started ringing.

His face paled when he saw the caller ID. "It's my mom," was all he said before walking through the kitchen door to talk outside.

This left Daniela and Ian behind in the kitchen.

He eyed his friend, taking in her tired expression. "You want to talk about it?"

Daniela sighed and leaned against the counter across from him. "I know I shouldn't be worrying but for some reason, all these ideas start popping into my head."

"Volunteering to have Mandy's little sister stay here is basically a ghetto engagement."

"Not helping," glared the girl before raking a hand through her hair. "Oh! And she's fucking Simon."

Ian's eyes widened. "What?"

Daniela nodded in agreement. "I know right? Who saw that coming? Because I didn't." She blew out a deep breath and shook her head. "I should've picked up on it. A week ago he came into the store and bought a box of condoms and said that they were 'for a friend'. Yeah right."

Ian snickered at his lame excuse. "Even so. You wouldn't have guessed it would be Mandy he was seeing."

Daniela shook her head as her fingers drummed on the counter. "It annoys me how easily she can get under my skin."

"Don't. Mandy is altogether a cool person but she can be a bitch when she wants to. The best thing to do is just ignore it," advised Ian, watching as the girl nodded.

"I guess so. Thanks for letting me vent," she smiled gratefully.

Ian waved it off. "That's what best friends are for."

"Yeah. I think I'm gonna head home now. My head is pounding." That wasn't a lie. Her headache had been building up throughout the day and now Daniela felt dizzy and disoriented the more she moved around.

"Okay."

Upstairs, Mandy sat on the edge of Lip's bed where she would be staying for the night. Molly's small body had already fallen asleep on the other side of the bed. Fiona had given them the green light, albeit reluctantly.

"Thanks for everything." Mandy gave Lip one of her shy smiles.

Beside her, Lip shrugged. "It wasn't just me. If Simon hadn't have stolen his mom's car, we wouldn't have been able to even go and get Molly. You should be thanking him too."

"Still, thanks for letting her stay here. I really appreciate it." Mandy bit her lip and eyed his hands resting on his knees.

Feeling confident, she placed her hand over his in hopes that he would reciprocate the gesture. She watched his face change from calm to uncomfortable.

"Mandy," he sighed, frowning down at her hand before switching to her face. "I've got a good thing going with Daniela right now. I don't want to mess it up."

The girl nodded looking put out and withdrew her hand. "I get it."

Lip felt bad. He didn't want to hurt her but he didn't want to screw his relationship up with Daniela. He knew she was pissed off at him and that made him feel worse.

Hearing the sound of feet making their way up the stairs, both of their attentions turned to see Simon standing in the doorway. He looked sheepish as he toyed with his phone.

"So I'm grounded," he announced grimly making the other two quietly laugh.

Lip nodded past him at the stairs. "Is Daniela downstairs?"

"I think she went home."

"Shit," cursed Lip before standing up. Simon stepped aside to let him through as he went after his girlfriend.

He gulped once he realized it was just him and Mandy (plus a sleeping Molly).

"I'm sorry I couldn't have done more," he began, sounding unsure.

Mandy shook her head, frowning at him in disbelief. "Are you kidding? You did a lot." Her gaze dropped to her fidgeting hands. "No-one's gone through so much trouble to help me before."

Simon failed to hide his grin which brought a small smile to Mandy's own lips.

"I know the cat's out of the bag but I was wondering if I could still call you?" He asked tentatively. "It's just that, I've really enjoyed our, ahem, time together."

Mandy nodded, a little surprised. "Sure."

"Okay. Well, I better head home. I don't want to get into any more trouble."

"See ya." He had only taken three steps before he heard Mandy call out. "Hey, Simon?"

"Yeah?"

Mandy hesitated, the words on the tip of her tongue feeling foreign. "Thanks. And sorry that I got you grounded."

"It was worth it," shrugged Simon, smiling a little. Giving her one last wave, he made his way down the stairs leaving Mandy sitting on the bed feeling very confused all of a sudden.

Meanwhile, as Simon and Mandy were talking, Lip raced to catch up with Daniela. She had just reached the bottom of the front porch steps. Hearing the door, she looked up, meeting his stare.

"You're leaving?" He frowned, moving down to where she was.

Daniela shrugged. "Yeah, I'm pretty tired. It's been a long day." She stared up at the house. "Is Mandy staying here tonight?"

Lip nodded but was quick to explain. "Just to ease Molly into it. I'm taking Carl's bed." Daniela bobbed her head, ready to take off when he stopped her once again. "I meant what I said this morning. I didn't do this because of Mandy."

Staring up at him, Daniela smiled. "I know and I understand why you did it." Leaning up, she pressed her lips to his.

"What was that for?" Asked Lip though he didn't really mind.

The girl simply shrugged. "You're a real sweet guy when you want to be."

Lip chuckled before bringing her in for a longer kiss. "How about you come back inside?"

"As inviting and comfortable as sharing a bunk with you sounds, I'm gonna head home."

Lip nodded in understanding, watching as she turned and left. She felt a lot lighter after clearing things up with him but her forehead was still pounding.

/

Later that night, Daniela was woken up by the vibrating off her phone on the nightstand. The incessant buzzing made her groan in annoyance as her hand clawed to find it in the dark.

She winced at the bright light of her screen before her eyes adjusted and she was able to read the text from Lip.

 _I'm outside._

Sighing, Daniela got up and walked downstairs. She frowned when she opened the door to see him standing there in only his boxers.

"There's this thing called a doorbell," she joked, holding down a yawn. "Or sometimes people knock."

"I didn't want to risk it in case your brother was home," explained Lip.

"He's always at his girlfriend's house even though he refuses to call her that." She smirked to herself but then tilted her head at the boy curiously. "What's up?"

"Jimmy's dad got into bed with me, naked, thinking I was Ian."

Daniela winced. "Oh, that's awkward."

"You don't seem that surprised," observed Lip, moving up the stairs. "Did you already know?"

"Obviously. That's old news."

"Wow. Thanks for telling me," deadpanned Lip. Daniela held her hands up in defense, laughing quietly.

"Sorry. I thought Ian would have told you."

Lip shook his head, feeling a little annoyed. "Nope. But it would've been nice to know before the guy jabbed his dick in my back."

The girl snickered. "How do you feel?"

"Violated," was Lip's blunt response making Daniela roll her eyes as she propped the door open for him.

"Just come inside you, big baby."

* * *

Haha! Now you know who Mandy was seeing. I think only two of you managed to guess correctly that it was Simon which I'm actually really happy about.

Let me know what your reaction was!

I also want to thank all of you for reading this story. I know I'm not the best at updating but I truly appreciate you guys putting in the effort to read this. Merry Christmas/whatever you celebrate and a Happy New Year to you all and I will hopefully be seeing you all again in 2017!

 _Special thanks to_ : xenocanaan, x NikiSt x, Raging Raven, SweetRiceball20, icantfindacreativeusername, RHatch89, January Raines, Isabeaux3, Spencee98, shadowoffandoms3947, SprinklesAreFun, NeardBby, Natalya Rose, Ashibabi4, peroxxxideprincess, Kenzie216, Megan1212, Aquarine-Valentine, sturr63, sorryitsalex, and Allons-y New York!

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	28. The Sins of My Caretaker

**Chapter 28.**

Happy New Year and enjoy!

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shameless.

* * *

Summer vacation had finally begun meaning that it was time for Daniela to start padding her resume for her college applications. While she was still unsure of what she was going to study, Healey had urged her to fill it up anyway and had gotten her some jobs helping out the community. One of those jobs was volunteering as a lifeguard down at the city pool.

It was her first day but before heading down there, Daniela wanted to stop in at the Gallagher house to see Lip.

Stepping outside, she frowned when she saw construction workers and trucks parked along the street.

"What's going on?" Asked Daniela to a worker as she passed him.

"We need to do some construction on the pipes this week so the water will be off on the day," he answered before turning back to throwing out instructions about where to dig up.

Nodding, the girl continued on her way, heading up the stairs and through the front door. As she entered the kitchen she saw Debbie wearing a bright pink swimsuit, huddled over a pan of scrambled eggs.

"I did it!" She cried with enthusiasm, taking a huge gasp of breath before looking at a blank Jimmy. "One hundred! One hundred seconds!"

"New personal best," grinned Daniela, grabbing the younger girl's attention. The teen flicked her head at Jimmy. "What's with him?"

Debbie shrugged with an annoyed huff. "I don't know but I can't do breakfast, set up for daycare and practice holding my breath at the same time."

Snapping out of his daze, the man simply held up his bandaged pinky. "Can't. Still broken."

"It's a finger, not your neck."

Smiling at the authoritative little girl, Daniela headed up the stairs to Lip's room passing Molly who was still staying there. She smiled at the girl who she had recently been informed was not actually a girl.

Lip was still sleeping when she peeked her head past his door, his shirtless body tangled up in sheets. The corners of her mouth tugged up as she quietly tip-toed over to his bed, sliding down beside him.

Pressing her lips gently to his jaw, she felt him stir awake. Lip's bleary eye flickered open, a frown marring his features at the unknown presence beside him. Once his eyes focused and saw that it was Daniela, he relaxed.

"Morning," she smiled, watching as his own face lit up.

"Hey, I thought you were working at the pool today?"

Daniela nodded, propping herself up on her side with her elbow. "I am but I wanted to come see you first." Lip's eyebrow raised and he smirked cockily making the girl beside him roll her eyes.

"I also stopped by because I thought we should do something this weekend," she continued as Lip's fingers came up to toy with the wavy strands of chestnut colored hair framing her face.

"Oh yeah?" He asked lightly, getting caught up in one particular lock. "Why's that?"

Daniela tilted her head, feeling her nerves build up suddenly. "Well, it's coming up to four months that we've been together and I thought we could celebrate." She watched Lip's reaction; the hope inside of her dying a bit when she saw his entire posture shift.

The grip on her piece of hair slackened as he pulled back, coughing uncomfortably. She was blindsided by his sudden change.

"Four months, huh?"

"I know," Daniela nodded, hearing the surprise in his voice along with something else she couldn't quite pinpoint. "It went by really fast."

"Yeah…it did." Pulling himself up from the bed, Lip moved over her to his chest of drawers and began digging through them for some clothes, meanwhile avoiding eye contact with Daniela. "Don't you think it's a little weird to celebrate four months?"

Feeling even more unsure of herself, Daniela shrugged. "Uh, well yeah. Kind of." She shifted so that she was sitting upright with her legs hanging over the bed. "Usually, I hate when couples celebrate monthly anniversaries."

"Yeah," Lip nodded in agreement, his back still turned to her as he pulled on a shirt. "Besides, I'm gonna be a little busy this weekend working the van with Kev."

"Oh." Daniela's gaze dropped to her hands. "Right. It was a stupid idea anyway."

Chewing the inside of her cheek, she rose from the bed and began padding her way to the door. Lip also dropped his head, his hands gripping his open drawers for support.

As she passed him, Daniela heard him sigh.

"It wasn't stupid." Lip forced himself to finally meet her gaze and felt a pang in his chest at her saddened expression. "Just…bad timing is all."

Daniela nodded, still not feeling any better about his sudden shutting her out. She could see that he was even having difficulty keeping eye contact with her and knew it had to do entirely with her idea.

"I better get going." With that, the girl breezed down the stairs and out the door.

Back in his room, Lip pressed his balled up fists into his eyes. "You idiot. What the fuck is wrong with you?"

/

The fiasco with Lip managed to drift from the forefront of Daniela's mind as she got more settled into her job. She couldn't afford to be distracted when she was responsible for keeping an eye on the hundreds of people down at the pool.

She sat perched up in her lifeguard tower, staring out at the swarm of families swimming around and having fun. She enjoyed seeing the happy smiling faces as it wasn't always something she saw a lot of around the neighborhood.

The teen was pulled out of her thoughts when she heard a voice call out from below.

"Hey, stranger."

Daniela frowned and leaned over to look down at Jessica. The other girl smiled warmly up at her as she used her hand to shade her eyes from the sun.

"I thought that was you up there," she continued, watching as Daniela quickly climbed down.

"Hey!" She grinned, pulling the other girl in for a hug straight away.

Since meeting at the art class in the city nearly a year ago, the two had kept in contact with each other, mainly through text messages due to their different schedules and neighborhoods though they were always making plans to meet up again.

"I didn't know you were a lifeguard," said Jessica, impressed.

Daniela just shrugged. "Volunteering."

"For your college applications?" At the girl's nod, Jessica grinned and nudged her arm. "So you've finally decided what you want to do?"

"More or less."

Jessica raised an eyebrow. "More-more or more-less?"

"More-less," sighed Daniela as she wiped a hand over her face, looking out at the sea of children just to make sure she wasn't completely shirking her responsibilities.

The other girl chuckled, fully understanding the struggle of picking their future. It was a big deal and definitely not one to be taken lightly.

She too, looked out at the children, her eyes focusing on two younger kids making their way to the pool ladder.

"I better go before my little cousins start drinking all the pool water," she joked but there was a nervousness to her voice that indicated her cousins would indeed drink the pool water.

Daniela grimaced at that as her eyes locked onto the two kids. "Yeah, I would definitely advise against that."

"We'll properly catch up soon, though," promised Jessica as she flashed another warm smile at Daniela before making her way over to her little cousins splashing around.

The rest of Daniela's shift seemed to speed up after that point and soon another lifeguard showed up to take her position. She smiled kindly at them as she climbed down.

As she made her way to the staff locker, her eyes caught onto Debbie who was relaxing by the pool with a book. She had seen the younger girl when she came in and kept an eye on her throughout her shift.

Daniela's brow lifted when she saw two older girls stalk over to Debbie with scowls on their faces. She watched their interactions from afar but began walking towards them when she saw Debbie's expression change.

"Stop staring at us, freak-bag," warned one before her friend got in on it.

"And grow some tits."

"Everything okay, Debs?" Interjected Daniela politely though there was an underlying threat in her tone that the two girls quickly picked up on.

She quirked an eyebrow at them as if daring them to try and say something but they decided against it, choosing to scurry off but not without glaring at Debbie over their shoulders one last time.

Daniela's narrowed eyes continued to follow them, not letting up until they were back on their side of the pool. She saw them throwing looks their way and whispering with their other friends which ultimately just made her roll her eyes.

"Thanks," piped up Debbie, keeping her eyes on her book.

Daniela sighed and bobbed down beside the girl. "Let me know if they bother you again."

Debbie nodded, chancing a glance at the mean girls who had turned their attention to something else. Satisfied, Daniela continued on her way to the staff lockers to get changed before heading home.

/

The jingle of the bell above the store door announced Daniela's entrance and her eyes clicked onto Lloyd leaning against the counter speaking to a smug Ian. Whatever he was saying died down at the interruption but he was quick to recognize her.

Coughing, he turned his attention back to Ian. "Think about it." Having said what he needed to, Lloyd made his way out of the store, giving Daniela a curt nod as he passed her.

Once the bell signaled that he had left, Daniela lifted an eyebrow at Ian.

"What did he want?"

"For me to rob his house," he answered casually while grabbing a magazine to flick through. Daniela laughed outright but sobered when she saw that her friend wasn't making it up.

"Oh wait, you were being serious."

"His wife locked him out of the house so he wants me to break in and get some of his stuff. He said the rest is fair game."

Daniela nodded at the proposition. "Sounds pretty sweet. You gonna do it?"

"Yeah," Ian chuckled as if the answer was obvious. "I was gonna ask Mickey and his brothers to help."

" _Right,_ just ask your current boyfriend/not-boyfriend to rob your ex-boyfriend/not-boyfriend-because-that's-illegal-and-weird's house," joked Daniela as she pulled out a box cutter. "I'm sure that'll go down well."

Ian simply shrugged his shoulders like it didn't matter. "Mickey won't care. They're rich, he'll say yes."

Seeing that he had a point, Daniela got to work restocking some of the shelves while Ian waited for the last ten minutes of his shift to finish up. As she placed tubes of Pringles on the shelves, her mind remembered the situation with Lip and she felt like asking Ian about it.

"Hey," she called out gingerly. "Did Lip seem kind of…off to you this morning?"

Ian simply shook his head and turned the page of his magazine. "No, why?"

Sighing, Daniela stopped and placed a hand on her hip. "This morning, things were great but then I think I messed it up."

"How?"

Her mouth twisted. "I told him that we should do something this weekend because it's coming up to four months but as soon as I said it, he completely shut me out."

"That's weird," frowned Ian, glancing up at his friend who was now chewing on her lip.

"Yeah, I know. If I had have known he was going to react so weirdly, I wouldn't have bothered bringing it up."

"Look, you probably just scared him," reasoned the boy before shrugging his shoulders. "Think about it, the last long-term relationship- if you can even call it that- was with Karen. And look how that turned out."

His attention turned to the clock placed on the wall behind him, seeing that his time was up. "I better get going."

Daniela nodded from her spot in between the aisles. Her mind was off elsewhere and she barely registered herself saying goodbye to Ian.

/

Daniela didn't see Lip again for the rest of the day. He had texted her of course, just giving small updates as to what he was doing. When she had proposed coming over for the night he had turned it down saying that he was too tired.

It had hurt her but she wanted to take the benefit of the doubt and say that whatever had caused him to act so strangely was a one-time thing and that they would be back to normal the next day.

So the next morning, Daniela found herself at the local park where she knew Lip and Kev were parked up with the ice-cream truck. Making her way over to them, she rapped her knuckles on the side of the vehicle, catching both men's attentions.

"Hey," she smiled at Kev before settling her attention on Lip. He looked a little surprised that she was there and after meeting her eye once, kept his focus on the joints he was rolling.

"Hey, D." Kev greeted her warmly, picking up on the boy's weird attitude.

"Aren't you supposed to be working at the pool?" He asked bluntly, his voice sounding not at all as warm or inviting as Kev's did.

Daniela chewed on her lip. "I had some time to kill so I thought I'd drop by and see if you guys needed any help."

"Actually, since you mentioned it-"

"I think we're good." Lip cut the other man off quickly, still not meeting her now hurt gaze and she shuffled awkwardly on her feet.

Kev put an arm out to defend her, not understanding why Lip was being so cold. "Come on, she can stay."

"No, it's fine," stopped Daniela as she felt her anger rise. Her narrowed eyes zeroed in on Lip who just continued to roll joints, acting like she wasn't there. "I know when I'm not wanted."

She waited for a second to see if her words would have any effect on him but there was nothing. Fed up, she scoffed and stormed off.

Back in the van, Kev watched Lip with a raised eyebrow.

Feeling his stare, the boy finally raised his head, eyeing the man with agitation. "What?"

Kev sighed in disappointment. "Karen messed you up, dude."

A customer came up to the window at that point, drawing Kev's attention away from Lip who paused his actions, simply staring down at the half rolled joint in his fingers.

/

Her earlier interaction with Lip had put Daniela in a bad mood for the rest of the day. Throughout her shift at the pool, her leg kept bobbing up and down and her angry expression was enough to scare away any children who were in search of help.

Daniela didn't care though because quite frankly, she wasn't in the mood.

Her narrowed eyes caught onto Debbie who was climbing out of the pool. She noticed the white bikini the girl was wearing and figured that it was Fiona's since Debbie didn't own any.

Daniela's stare hardened when she saw the two mean girls from the day before approaching the little redhead.

One of the girls smiled sweetly at Debbie but Daniela couldn't help but feel that they had something more malicious planned.

Her concerns were proven true when she saw one girl squirt ketchup onto Debbie's chair before it was sat on by an oblivious Debbie. Feeling it underneath her, the little girl stood up, showcasing her ruined bikini bottoms much to the amusement of the girls.

"Period!" Ridiculed one of them, holding her stomach from laughing so much. Daniela felt her blood boil even more and she was quick to jump down from her chair and march towards them.

Debbie stood rooted to the spot and quickly wrapped her towel around her as she heard others beginning to laugh at her expense. Tears built up in her eyes, ready to fall but her attention was pulled away by a voice storming towards them.

"Oh, you think that's funny?" Asked Daniela sarcastically as she scowled at the two girls while simultaneously pulling Debbie behind her to shield her from everyone's eyes.

The two blondes grew quiet at seeing the pissed off expression on Daniela's face.

Daringly, one of them raised their chin defiantly. "Yeah, we do."

Daniela chuckled dryly before fixing them with a killer glare. Her bad mood was practically through the roof now.

"You wanna know what else is funny? The fact that you two will be subjected to living a shitty life, married to some shitty guy who will _probably_ start having an affair after your fourth child because your vagina is all stretched out and your only source of comfort at night while he's out banging a younger, hotter version of you will be the bottle of tequila stored in your bedside table."

Daniela's heated words managed to stun them into silence along with everyone else who dared to laugh at Debbie. She knew there would no doubt be repercussions but she didn't care at that moment.

"You two like picking on little girls?" She continued, stepping towards them so that she was towering over them with her obvious age and height advantage. "How about you try me out and see what happens? Go ahead, I dare you-no! I _double_ dare you."

Wisely, neither girl rose to the challenge and instead gulped as Daniela continued to glare daggers at them.

"Mm, that's what I thought." Taking a step back, she pointed at Debbie who was shaking with tears running down her cheeks. "Apologize."

The blondes looked shocked at the sudden demand but when Daniela raised a threatening eyebrow they both stuttered out apologies that brought a small satisfied smirk to Debbie's lips.

"Now get the hell out of here before I throw you out by your bottle blonde ponytails myself," said Daniela through gritted teeth.

They moved to take off but she quickly grabbed them both by the arm. "And don't you dare think about harassing her, or anyone else here again just because they don't fit into your overrated criteria."

Letting them go, she watched them scurry off to where their bags were before they began shoving their things in and heading off to the exit. Once they were out of her line of sight, Daniela turned to Debbie, her eyes softening immediately.

"Come on," she coaxed gently, placing an arm around her shoulder and leading her to the changing rooms after picking up her bag.

She led her into the changing rooms before sitting her down on one of the benches. Debbie was still sniffling and continued to clutch at the towel around her so tightly that her knuckles had gone white.

"Debs?" Began Daniela carefully. "Why are you wearing Fiona's bikini?"

Debbie sniffled some more but finally managed to croak a response. "I was trying to be cool like the other girls."

"Those girls are nothing but bitches, Debs. You're way cooler than them," said Daniela genuinely as she used her thumb to wipe away a stray tear on Debbie's face. "They should try to be more like you."

"I just wanted to fit in."

Daniela twisted her mouth, feeling a pang of sadness. "I know you did. But sometimes it's better to be different. You should embrace that instead of hating it."

She leaned her head closer to whisper. "Besides, girls like them are going to be balancing a baby on their hip by the time they graduate."

Debbie seemed a little more reassured by her words but still looked put out.

Tapping her leg lightly, Daniela offered her a grin. "You wanna go get some ice cream?"

"Aren't you still working?"

Daniela shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm pretty sure after all of that I'll be fired."

A small laugh bubbled up and out of Debbie's throat making the teen smile a little more. Daniela let her clean herself up and get changed into her normal clothes before she walked her to a nearby ice-cream store.

The frozen treat was a welcome distraction for Debbie but as they made their way home she fell back into a silence most likely thinking about what had happened.

/

Ian made his way down the stairs into the kitchen dressed in his ROTC gear. He and Mickey were going to do some practice while discussing the plans for the robbery the next day but first he wanted to talk to Lip about Daniela.

Said brother chuckled when he saw Ian all dressed up. "Is it Desert Storm night at the Cheesecake Factory?"

"Why are you being such a dick to Ella?" He asked, getting straight to the point.

Lip raised his eyebrows, not expecting the question. "I believe the answer to that is none of your fucking business."

Ian rolled his eyes at his brother's pathetic response. He was tired and didn't have time to play around.

"She told me you've basically been ignoring her ever since she brought up this whole anniversary thing."

"Look, I already told you, this doesn't concern you."

"Daniela's been nothing but nice to you so why are you treating her like shit all of a sudden?"

"Jesus," sighed Lip feeling his own temper rise. "What are you her fucking lawyer?"

"No," Ian shook his head, getting up in his brother's face. "I'm her best friend and you're acting like a douche bag. You want out? End it. Otherwise, stop treating her like a piece of garbage because we both know that's not what she deserves."

Lip's defense faltered but Ian didn't stop there. "Just because Karen wiped her ass with you doesn't give you the right to shit on Ella."

Lip didn't move from his spot, having descended into a silence. Ian waited for a smart-ass rebuttal but none came. Hoping that his brother had gotten the message, he made his way out the front door.

Daniela and Debbie approached the house, spotting Ian heading off in the other direction in his uniform.

The teen had her arm around the other girl who had been silent the whole walk home. She knew Debbie was still mortified about what had happened and felt bad for her.

They made their way up the porch steps and through the door into the kitchen where Fiona was telling the others that they needed to all work together to dig up the backyard.

Daniela's eyes instinctively sought out Lip who was leaning back against the sink. She was surprised to find he was actually already looking at her.

"Hey, Debs," grinned Fiona with her hands on her hips. She was covered in dirt. "How was the pool?"

The girl's throat clogged up at the question before running up the stairs, a sob ripping out of her throat. Daniela's eyes clenched shut before opening and meeting Fiona's.

"What happened?"

"She got her period at the pool today," laughed Carl as he took a bite of some crackers. His sister's eyes widened at the news but Daniela was quick to deny it.

"No, she didn't," she shook her head. "These girls have been giving her a hard time down at the pool so they put ketchup on her bikini so it looked like blood. I chewed them out after it happened but she's still pretty embarrassed about the whole thing."

"Oh shit," sighed Fiona, rubbing a hand over her face before heading up the stairs.

Still feeling his eyes on her, Daniela met Lip's stare for a split second before rolling her eyes and following after Fiona.

She wasn't going to just tolerate his weird behavior and then accept him again when he suddenly decided to acknowledge her presence with no explanation.

Noticing her own coldness, Lip dropped his gaze to his shoes feeling like a dick.

Fiona kneeled on the floor in front of the bathroom door trying to coax Debbie out but she was being particularly stubborn. Daniela stood back and watched as she finally managed to convince her little sister to come out of the bathroom.

When she did, Debbie rushed into her sister's arms, tears still streaming down her face. Fiona sighed sadly as she looked down at the top of Debbie's head before turning her attention to Daniela.

"Thanks for being there for her, Ella."

She led Debbie into her room, closing the door behind her so that the two sisters could talk some more. Daniela chewed on her lip and turned to head back downstairs when she caught sight of Lip making his way towards her.

The girl simply crossed her arms over her chest with one eyebrow arched, waiting for him to say something.

"Hey."

"Oh, so I exist now?" She asked, her voice heavy with sarcasm.

"I know I've been distant," began Lip, making her scoff.

"If you didn't want to celebrate, you could've just said so, Lip. I can handle it. There was no need for the sudden cold shoulder."

Lip heaved a sigh, seeming more frustrated with himself than with her. "It's not that. It's…"

He knew why he was being such a dick. Both Ian and Kev had helped make it clear as day.

"Whatever." Daniela rolled her eyes and moved past him, giving up. "I have to go."

/

Daniela was still in a crabby mood when she got to the hospital an hour later but she managed to push it aside and put on a smile for her mom.

The woman was relaxing on her bed when she walked into her room, smiling warmly at her daughter when her eyes locked onto her.

"Hey, mom." Daniela made her way across the room to drop a kiss on Camille's cheek before surveying the rest of the room. "Jake's not here yet?"

Camille shrugged, clueless. He had texted Daniela saying that he was on his way a while ago and she had thought he would beat her to the hospital.

"I heard my name," chimed Jakob, stepping into the room with a cheeky smile though Daniela picked up on his jitteriness.

"I thought you'd be here first," said the girl, crossing her arms over her chest. "Did you get stuck in traffic or something?"

Her eyebrow raised when he scratched the back of his neck. "Actually, I had to make a pit-stop."

Sticking his head back around the corner, he waved for someone to come in and Daniela shared a curious look with her mother.

"Mom, Dani, this is Katherine." The teen raised a brow at the blonde woman who stepped through the door looking both nervous and excited. She made her way towards Daniela first and stretched out a hand.

"It's so nice to finally meet you," she gushed sounding completely genuine as Daniela accepted her handshake. "Jake's told me so much about you."

"Really?" Daniela raised an eyebrow at her brother who was avoiding her stare. "He hasn't told me much about you. I was starting to wonder if you even existed."

Katherine laughed lightly before turning her attention to Camille and introducing herself once again.

Ten minutes passed and it seemed like Daniela's mother already approved of the woman and she was starting to think the same. Katherine was nothing but nice but didn't mind poking jokes at Jakob which made Daniela like her even more.

"So!" Began the teen, settling into her chair and fixing her smirk on the blonde woman. "Tell us how you two met."

"Oh," Katherine huffed a laugh before sharing a look with Jakob. "Some guy took off with my purse and Jakob saw and tried to stop him."

Daniela deadpanned at her brother. "You're kidding."

"Little did I know she already had it covered," smirked Jakob and Katherine nodded looking smug.

"Black belt in jiu-jitsu."

"Really?" Daniela just continued to grow more and more impressed with the woman.

"Yeah, I teach at one of the school's in the city."

"Badass," nodded the teen, a smirk growing on her face. "So why are you with my brother?" Her question made said brother glare across the room at her and Daniela felt her mother tap her hand lightly as a sign to cut it out and stop embarrassing him.

"And you wonder why I never introduced you to her," huffed Jakob, pouting like a child as his sister rolled her eyes.

"You were probably just afraid that she'd like me more than you, that's all."

Continuing his trend of acting like a petulant child, Jakob stuck his tongue out at his sister causing the other women in the room to chuckle.

/

Jakob switched off the ignition of his truck as they came to a stop outside of their house after dropping Katherine off.

"She's totally normal," frowned Daniela as she unbuckled her seatbelt. "Honestly, Jake. I don't understand why you were being so secretive- apart from the fact that she's totally out of your league."

The young man followed suit and closed his door behind him. "You know I've never really brought any girl home to meet the family or anything." He fumbled for a second with his keys. "But Katherine's different."

Daniela eyed him, a knowing smirk lighting up her face. "Awe, you _like_ her."

"Shut up."

"You _love_ her."

"Ew, stop it. You're creeping me out," grimaced Jakob as he finally managed to unlock the door.

She just laughed, not letting up at all. "That's okay. I won't tell her that there's a very likely chance that she'll be my sister in law."

"Would you shut up?" Jakob narrowed his eyes at his sister and grabbed a beer from the fridge. "I feel weird in my chest the more you bring it up."

Daniela rolled her eyes at him. He had always been a bit of a charmer, never bothering to settle down.

In fact, Katherine was the first woman her brother had brought home to meet the family and that was evidence enough that the woman was different from all the others he had been with.

"That's love, brother." She heard him groan in the kitchen as she made her way up to her room.

Daniela had only been home for close to fifteen minutes when she heard a voice yelling outside of her house.

Recognizing who it was straight away, she rolled her eyes but made her way over to her window, pushing it up to glare down at Lip.

He sighed in relief at the sight of her, glad that she was even giving him the time of day after how he had been her lately.

"I'm an asshole!" He proclaimed, spreading his arms open. Daniela simply raised an eyebrow at him. He was going to have to try harder than that.

"Yes. Yes, you are!"

Lip saw that she wasn't to just let him off the hook so easily and heaved a sigh. "Please come down!

"And why would I do that?" Pondered Daniela, resting her elbows on her windowsill.

"So I can tell you how stupid I was for treating you like shit!" Sensing that she still wasn't going to budge, Lip continued. "Please?"

Daniela stared down at him as she chewed on her lip in thought. It seemed like minutes before she finally closed her window on him and Lip wasn't sure if she was done or not.

Thankfully for him, the front door swung open and she stepped out, her guard still up.

"What do you want?"

Lip took a step towards her, his eyes pleading with hers. "Please, just…come with me." She ran her tongue over the tops of her teeth before curiosity got the best of her and she began walking beside him.

He led her to a spot under the L where he had set up an old couch and what looked to be fireworks.

"What's all this?" She asked with a frown.

Lip clapped his hands together and waved a hand at the whole thing. "My apology." Daniela's tough exterior cracked but he continued. "Kev says that Karen messed me up. And he's right."

Daniela felt her stomach drop at his words. Of course, Karen still had her claws sunken into him even after all this time. Lip noticed her face fall and took a step towards her, gently placing a hand under her chin to make her meet his eyes.

"But I'm not letting her do that anymore," he vowed and Daniela was taken aback by the absolute conviction in his voice.

"The truth is, I was scared because of how great things have been between us so I started pushing you away and you didn't deserve that." Lip moved his hand so that his thumb caressed her cheek. "I'm sorry."

Daniela could see the sincerity in his eyes and her crossed arms slackened as she melted into his touch but her eyes continued to hold that fire.

"Don't ever treat me like that again," she warned making him grin down at her.

"I won't," he promised before dipping his head forward to press his mouth against hers in a searing kiss.

Taking hold of her hands, he pulled away and led her over to the couch, making her sit down as he lit the fireworks.

When the first one popped off, Daniela cheered ecstatically as Lip came to sit beside her. He pulled her onto his lap, grinning at how happy she was and knowing that he was an idiot for thinking that pushing her away was the right thing to do.

While Daniela's eyes stayed fixated on the fireworks, Lip's couldn't seem to wander from her for very long, seeing her as the true show. Her eyes lit up with each colorful explosion and Lip felt a tug in his chest at the sight.

* * *

I thought I would give you a nice ending to help reign in the new year. There was a little bit of drama with Lip and Daniela but things have finally cleared up for them.

Also, I really enjoy writing Daniela and Debbie's relationship; it's one of my favorites.

Let me know what you thought or what your favorite part was!

 _Special thanks to_ Cierramist96, Spencee98, Alex, NessieBooEvans, Isabeaux3, Raging Raven, Guest, TheDivineMsEm, RHatch89, xenocanaan, Jess54325, Lindsabt, noordinarykilljoy, rainydays99, Onlineashley, hanna891, MarieSeleneArroyo, Daenerys86, Dikas, bellaedwardgurl, tothewoodswego, nonosave, andreeea147, and a7xluver91!

 **REVIEW!**


	29. Cascading Failures

**Chapter 29.**

*please don't kill me for taking so long*

Sorry for such a long wait, this chapter was a bitch to plan/write because I realized I had screwed up something so I had to take some creative liberty to fix it.

 **ALSO** , tomorrow is the one year anniversary of this story which is mind blowing for me and I thought finally getting an update would be a good gift for you guys.

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shameless.

* * *

It had been two days since a rift ripped through the Gallagher house, disturbing the already disruptive peace. DFS seemed to have really bad timing because, after only ten minutes in the house, they were making arrangements to put the children in the foster system.

The timid woman who had been unfortunate enough to witness Mickey Milkovich laid out on the kitchen counter while Lloyd fished a bullet out of his ass was somehow nice enough to allow Fiona a few days before the kids would be hauled away.

The oldest Gallagher seemed to forever be in a frenzied state as she helped the kids pack their bags the night before they were to be taken away. Daniela, who had also been around the house helping out, couldn't help but feel a shred of worry for the siblings.

"We'll be fine," stressed Lip for what seemed like the nth time.

Daniela huffed and continued to swing her legs off the side of his bed, her teeth chewing on her lip incessantly.

"I know that. But don't you think it's all a little strange?" She turned her frown to Lip who was laid out on his bed nonchalantly. "I mean, DFS doesn't just show up on your doorstep for no reason."

Lip seemed to agree with her and he quirked a brow before simply shrugging. "Who knows why they showed up. Doesn't matter anyway, we can handle it. It's not the first time this has happened."

Daniela's eyes dropped to her lap and her mouth opened to speak when they heard a light knock on the door. Both teens swiveled their heads to see a haggard-looking Fiona who offered each of them a smile.

"Family meeting downstairs," was all she said before she moved to the next room.

Sighing, Lip pushed himself up and off the bed before pausing to wait for Daniela to follow him. She did so quietly, grabbing onto his arm as they made their way down the stairs and settled at the kitchen table.

It took only a few minutes before the rest of the family emerged to settle around the kitchen counter. Daniela smiled at Ian as he came to stand beside her chair, placing a hand on the back of it.

Fiona's eyes moved across all of theirs, stopping for a moment at each person.

Finally, she heaved a deep sigh. "Now, tomorrow you guys are gonna get taken away and I'm not sure who you'll be paired with but I wanted you all to remember one thing." Raising an arm, she paused long enough for Debbie to rush to hug her side and she shook her gently. "We're a family."

"Despite all the shit we've gone through, we've always had each other and that's not gonna change." The woman stared pointedly at the younger two. "I promise that I will do whatever I can to get you out of there as soon as possible."

"Ella." The girl's head whipped up to meet Fiona's warm but tired stare. "I'm gonna need your help getting this place ready for the inspection if you're up for it?"

Daniela nodded eagerly, not minding at all. "Of course. Whatever you need."

"Lip, Ian," Fiona turned her attention to the older boys after shooting Daniela a thankful look. "You know the drill." They both nodded back at their sister, understanding what they had to do. Blend and acclimate until they were free to leave.

"Carl, Debbie. Make sure you take care of Liam wherever you end up." Carl nodded back solemnly and Daniela reached out to ruffle his buzz-cut. "We're Gallaghers, we've faced worse."

Having finished what she wanted to say, Fiona spread her arms open once more and gestured for them to huddle in. Lip and Ian groaned jokingly but nevertheless, made their way to their grinning sister.

"I love you guys," smiled Fiona before going and kissing each of them on the heads. Daniela not wanting to intrude, hung back and smiled at the close-knit family knowing that Lip was right when he said that they would be fine.

/

The next morning, the same woman from DFS was on their doorstep, clipboard in hand as she skittishly greeted each sibling. Sluggishly, the Gallagher kids grabbed the little of what they had packed, not expecting to stay there for very long, and followed the woman outside to where a parked van awaited them.

Trailing behind Ian, Daniela spotted Jimmy's car pulling up beside the van.

"Woah, woah! What's going on?" He asked, jumping out of his car to frown in confusion. Daniela rolled her eyes at the man. He had been AWOL for the past three days ever since his little domestic with Fiona.

"Department of Family Services is taking us away," answered Debbie and Fiona stroked her hair.

"What? Can they do that?"

"It won't last, Debs. I promise," said Fiona again. "What was it last time? A week?"

"Nine days."

"Twenty bucks says we'll be back in five," smirked Lip in an attempt to comfort his little sister.

Before Debbie hopped in the van, she turned to Daniela and wrapped her arms around her waist. The teen smiled down at her and kissed her hair.

"I'll come visit you once we figure out where you're being put."

Debbie nodded and pulled back before stepping up to the van as Daniela continued to say goodbye to the others. She ruffled Carl's hair and placed a kiss on his head before doing the same to Liam.

Ian stood to the side waiting for her to finish saying goodbye to the little ones. Once she was done, he walked towards her and pulled her in for a tight hug, even lifting her off the ground for a few seconds.

He knew his best friend was worried for them and he figured it would be a good way to put her at ease. He wasn't disappointed when he heard her little laugh as he placed her feet back onto the ground.

"Call or text whenever you get the chance okay? Just so I know you guys are okay."

Ian nodded, a small grin playing at his lips. "Don't miss me too much."

His comment was enough for Daniela to roll her eyes and playfully whack him on the arm, his chuckles sounding out as he climbed into the van.

"We'll be fine," repeated Lip, gaining her attention as he came to stand beside her, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her to him. Daniela nodded and Lip took that time to graze a hand over her soft cheek.

"I know," she smiled up at him as his blue eyes roamed over her face. His head lowered to capture her lips for a brief moment before he pulled away and with one last cocky grin, got into the van.

Turning her head, Daniela heard Fiona ask who had reported them.

"Come on, who was it?" She asked again, desperation filling her voice as the woman from DFS closed her door with the van pulling away right after.

Fiona raked a hand through her hair, the other propped on her hip and Daniela moved to stand beside her.

Twisting her mouth, the teen wrapped her arm around the woman before nodding her chin to the house.

"Come on, let's get this place cleaned up." A slight grin toyed at her lips. "Who knows how long it's gonna take."

She felt a sense of accomplishment when she saw Fiona's lips quirk up. "Dibs on not doing Carl's room."

"Ugh, not fair! That's gonna take forever."

Fiona laughed and wiped a hand over her forehead before turning to the steps. "We better get started then."

/

Daniela hadn't been wrong when she thought it would take a while to get the house ready for inspection. Cleaning out Carl's bunk had taken a solid hour and a half in itself and that wasn't even counting the other various weapons he had hidden around the house.

All in all, it had taken Fiona, Daniela, and Jimmy just over five whole hours to get the house in the condition it needed to be in. As the last thing was put into place, the three of them collapsed onto the nearest couch in exhaustion.

"I think my arms are dead from scrubbing so much," groaned Daniela, wincing as she raised her limp arm just to let it smack down beside her again.

Beside her, Fiona blew out a deep breath. "Where the hell did Carl get all that crap from?"

"Whenever it comes to Carl, I find it's better to just not question anything."

Fiona laughed weakly, too tired to put in any real effort, and turned her head to look at the teen. "Thanks for all your help, Ella."

The other girl simply shrugged. "Like I said, it's no trouble. Besides, the sooner we get this place ready, the sooner the kids will be back."

"Yeah," agreed Fiona quietly, her voice drifting off as her eyes began to droop. The three of them lapsed into a comfortable silence as they all rested their heads back against the sofa.

The silence was broken with the gurgling noise of Daniela's stomach.

One eye popped open, dropping to look at her stomach before remembering that she hadn't really eaten anything all afternoon. Now that she had time to relax, her body had taken it upon itself to remind her of her basic human needs.

Groaning, she used an arm to push herself up and turned to the two adults still resting with their eyes closed.

"I'm gonna go get something to eat. Do you guys want me to bring you back anything on my way home?"

"No thanks, Ella," smiled Fiona, shifting her head so that it was on Jimmy's shoulder.

"Okay, text me if you change your mind."

As she stepped out of the house, Daniela whipped out her phone and sent a quick text to Simon to see if he wanted to meet up with her for a very late lunch to which he said yes.

After texting the address of a place not too far from his house, Daniela was off on her way, her stomach growling incessantly.

/

She spotted Simon as soon as she passed the diner window. Also catching her eye, he gave her a kind smile and wave, watching as she opened the door before making her way over and practically dropped into the seat across from him.

"You look exhausted," observed Simon, his brows lifting as he took in the disheveled state of her.

"Yeah, I know. I just spent the whole morning and afternoon cleaning the Gallagher house." She continued to explain the whole chain of events that led up to it all happening, pausing only when it came time to order.

"So what have you been up to lately?"

Simon simply shrugged like it wasn't all that interesting. "Getting ready for college." He watched as his friend's eyes dropped to her glass of lemonade and felt a tinge of guilt. "Sorry." He tried to amend. "I shouldn't have bought it up."

"No! It's- it's fine." Simon didn't seem very convinced and she saw that. "Really, it's okay. I'm over it."

"Are you sure? Because we don't have to talk about it if you're-"

"Simon," she spoke through somewhat clenched teeth. "I said it's fine. Go ahead."

The boy waited a few moments to see if she would change her mind but when nothing came he hesitantly carried on. He scratched the back of his neck, his shoulders slumping.

Daniela quirked an eyebrow at him as she took a sip of her drink. "You okay there?"

"Yeah, it's nothing." At his friend's pointed look he finally sighed. "Mandy's been on my ass lately about the whole college thing."

Daniela snorted. "I can't believe you're still with her."

"She's not so bad once you get to know her."

"I'll take your word for it."

Daniela and Mandy continued to maintain their frosty relationship, attempting to stay as far away as possible from each other, however, that grew rather difficult once the Milkovich decided she actually enjoyed Simon's company and stuck around.

"Anyway," steered Simon, getting back on topic. "I enrolled in a few places back in Denver because I figured at least that way I'll have all of my family over there but Mandy wants to come along with me as soon as I get accepted."

Daniela waved a hand for him to continue. " _And_?"

"I want her to finish off her last year," answered Simon casually, relaxing in his seat.

"Don't you think the two of you are moving a little fast?"

Simon simply chuckled, understanding why his friend would think so. "When Mandy Milkovich is concerned, there's no such thing as going slow."

"And you're okay with that?" Asked the girl with a raised eyebrow. She wanted to make sure that Simon wasn't just following Mandy blindly just because he was afraid she would hit him if he did otherwise.

"Oddly, yes." The boy's face lit up with a grin that even had Daniela smiling a little. "I like that she knows what she wants."

"I really hope that wasn't a reference to your sex life," she groaned, clenching her eyes shut whilst trying to ward off any unnecessary mental images of Mandy and her friend having sex.

Simon shrugged, a coyness to his grin. "Maybe."

"Oh god. What does your mom think of her?" This time Simon was the one groaning and raked a hand through his hair while his amused friend watched him.

"Don't even get me started."

Daniela laughed lightly, knowing that Simon's mother would have some very strong thoughts when it came to the girl hanging around her son.

"Have you done your SAT yet?"

"Yeah, I did it this week." He sighed tiredly and scrubbed a hand over his face. "I just want to get this all over and done with and just go to college already."

Daniela raised a brow in agreement. "I hear that."

"Don't worry," began Simon softly when he saw his friend's saddened expression. "You'll be there soon."

"Easy for you to say, mister 'I already graduated'." Daniela huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, making it obvious that she was still a little bitter at the news she had received before the Summer break.

It was two weeks before graduation day and Daniela had been sold in the fact that she would be walking in her cap and gown alongside Simon but apparently, her teachers didn't share the same thoughts.

"It's not _my_ fault that I caught what was _practically_ a lighter version of the plague!" Complained Daniela, her lip hanging. "How was I supposed to know it would put me out of school during one of the most important times of the year?"

Simon smirked and shook his head at her as she continued on her little rant. He had heard it all before- numerous times actually- during the lead up to graduation day but understood why she was mad.

Her face became serious as she pointed a finger at him. "Personally, I blame Becky from Biology class. She was practically sneezing all over me during our rat dissection."

"It's not _all_ bad," wagered Simon with a shrug. "I mean, you're only going back for what? Two, three weeks? And Lip and Ian will still be there with you."

Daniela sighed, finally calming down. "I guess. It's just annoying that I didn't get to walk with you at graduation."

Simon shrugged it off. "They just make you sit there for two hours giving speeches that no-one cares about and then they hand you the piece of paper that shows you you're free from that place." He shook his head at her. "It's not all it's cracked up to be."

"You're just saying that to make me feel better," muttered Daniela under her breath, finding a sudden interest in her chipped nail polish.

"Okay, so I am."

Narrowing her eyes, Daniela reached across the table to whack her friend on the arm but couldn't keep the laughter from her voice.

"Asshole, you're not supposed to admit it." She rolled her eyes at his subsequent dramatic reaction.

"I could press charges for that," warned Simon, pointing an accusatory finger at her to which she simply scoffed at.

"Any news on your college applications?" She asked, laying her forearms on the table.

Her friend shook his head, glancing around to see if their waitress was on her way with their food. He was getting more peckish and by the consistent sounds emitting from Daniela's stomach, she was way past peckish.

"Not yet. Have you submitted any?"

Daniela shook her head causing Simon to eye her in disbelief.

"You should probably get on top of that as soon as you get back so you can start in January."

"That's if anyone takes me."

"Of course they will." Simon frowned as if the idea of them not taking her seemed absurd. "Your grades are above average and all of those community service jobs Healey's got you working should be more than enough to get you through."

"Along with a heartfelt admissions letter about my low economic status," joked Daniela, knowing that if she intended on getting a scholarship, she would no doubt have to pander to the college officials with some bullshit about the struggles she had to face at her underfunded high school.

"Exactly." Simon grinned, his teeth showing before his eyes caught onto their waitress walking towards them.

"Oh thank God!" She praised as her meal was finally placed down in front of her. "I'm starving."

Reaching for the ketchup bottle, she shook it a few times before squirting some on her burger. Simon chuckled and watched as she shamelessly shoved food in her mouth. He briefly wondered how she hadn't choked on the substantial amount of fries and burger occupying her mouth.

After Daniela insisted on them having desert, she and Simon paid for their food and went their separate ways. A yawn ripped from her throat once she closed the front door behind her and she sluggishly managed to get herself into the shower to wash off the sweat and grime before heading to bed.

/

The next day, Daniela found herself staring up at the clock on the wall behind her, counting down however much longer she had left of her shift.

It had been a slow day at the K&G and she had chalked it up to being because it was so hot, no one intelligent would want to leave their homes.

She startled at the sound of the bell above the door, her eyes doing a double-take when she saw Ian waltz in.

"Hey!" She grinned, immediately tossing her newspaper aside so that she could hug him. Ian returned it heartily, squeezing his arms around her before pulling away. "They let you out?"

"Just for work," he shrugged and dropped his bag behind the counter.

"How's the place you're staying?"

At her question, the redhead scoffed making his friend frown. "It's a group home, lack of emphasis on the word 'home'. It's more of a detention center than anything."

"Holy shit. No one there has tried to hassle you have they?"

Ian shook his head, smiling a little at his friend's blatant worry. "Nah, Lip's been making sure we stay out of any trouble."

This provoked a proud smile on Daniela's face and she nodded. "Good. I'm glad." She paused. "Is Lip still there?"

"No, no," Ian shook his head and grabbed a donut from one of the display cabinets. "He's doing his community service."

"You wouldn't happen to know whereabouts?"

"I think he mentioned somewhere in the city," recalled Ian, his voice muffled by the donut in his mouth.

"Alright," nodded Daniela, glancing at the clock. Once she saw that her shift was up, she grabbed her belongings. "I think I'll go track him down."

Ian chuckled and took her position behind the counter. "Good luck with that."

"Thanks. Mickey should be here soon." Ian perked up at that, causing Daniela to shoot him a knowing look.

"Shut up."

She held her hands up in defense. "I didn't say anything." Giggling, she gave him one last hug and kissed him on the cheek before heading towards the door.

"If you're still out by the time I track Lip down, I'll come see you again." The bell above the door jingled as she pushed it open. "Love you!"

She vaguely heard Ian's 'love you too' as she crossed the road and made her way up the stairs to the L.

/

She managed to track Lip down after a mere forty-three minutes. She had been walking past when she spotted people in bright yellow vests scrubbing graffiti off signs and noticed that one of them was indeed Lip.

He was deep in the process of cleaning off a particularly stubborn piece of paint when he caught sight of her.

"You are not an easy guy to track down," smiled Daniela as she came to stand in front of him. Momentarily forgetting his job, Lip dropped his scrubbing brush to flash her a smirk.

"Did you walk through the whole city just to track me down?" He asked, feigning flattery which made her roll her eyes.

"No, that would've taken me far too long. I just lucked out when I got off at the stop a few blocks from here."

Lip laughed wryly and bent over to pick up a rag to dry his hands with. "I'm guessing you saw Ian then?"

"Yeah, he told me you were somewhere in the city." She watched him work for a few minutes before speaking again. "When's your lunch break?"

Lip paused to look up at her before shrugging. "About an hour, why?"

"The lady from DFS gave Fiona the address of where Carl and Liam are staying and she sent it to me. We could go by after you're done here."

"Yeah, sounds good." Lip nodded, liking the idea.

With the back of his hand, he wiped the sweat from his forehead. Daniela could see that the heat was beginning to bother him and remembered that there was a café nearby.

"There's a café down on the next block. You want a cold water?"

"Please."

Nodding, Daniela made her way down the street and around the corner to where she remembered the shop being. It was a busy spot judging by all the hipsters and people just looking to take advantage of the AC.

She returned twenty minutes later with three bottles of ice-cold water. Two for Lip and one for her. He took the first bottle with a small nod of thanks before chugging it down in record time.

Fifty minutes later, Daniela and Lip were stood outside the door of the apartment Carl and Liam were staying. The girl's eyes traveled around the building, taking in its extravagance.

"Damn."

"Yeah."

Lip knocked on the door and it only took a few moments before it swung open to reveal a kind looking man. He looked the two of them up and down, his smile still sticking to his face.

"Hello there," he greeted.

"Hey, I'm Lip, Carl and Liam's brother." The man's eyes instantly lit up and his smile somehow become even bigger. "I was wondering if maybe we could see them?"

"Of course! Please, do come in." He ushered them in quickly and led them into an impressive looking lounge room before calling out. "Carl! You have visitors!"

The man placed a hand out. "I'm Cassius, my partner's at work right now."

"Daniela," supplied the girl as both her and Lip shook his outstretched hand before he urged them to take a seat and make themselves comfortable.

"Carl?" Called Cassius once more, stepping out of the room.

Once he was gone, Daniela turned to Lip and raised her eyebrows to which he just chuckled. Hearing murmuring voices, both teens turned to see Carl walk in with Cassius holding Liam not too far behind.

"Lip!" Cried the boy with excitement as he bound towards his brother who pulled him in for a hug instantly.

"Hey, bud."

Cassius smiled as he watched the two brothers catch up. He made his way to where Daniela was and Liam reached out towards her as soon as he spotted her.

She grinned, laughing at him as Cassius handed him over. "Hey, there big guy!" She kissed his nose and caught a whiff of his hair. "Ooh, you smell good."

The man chuckled beside her before excusing himself to get them some refreshments.

Daniela bobbed Liam up and down in her arms, blowing raspberries on his cheeks that made him squeal with laughter. Eventually, Lip also came to stand beside her and she was quick to hand him over so he could say hello.

"Where's my hug?" She asked, pouting slightly at Carl who hadn't even noticed she was there, too wrapped up in talking to his brother.

He didn't disappoint, wrapping her arms around her long enough so that she could press a quick kiss in his hair, catching the same whiff of fruitiness that she smelt on Liam.

"You smell good too."

Carl groaned and rolled his eyes. "It's this shampoo they keep making me use." He widened his eyes seriously. "They make me bathe twice a day here."

His comment caused the older girl to laugh and she ruffled his clean hair. "That's a good thing, Carl." He didn't seem to agree.

Daniela and Lip hung out there for a little while before Lip eventually had to head back to his community service. On their way out, Carl asked his brother to bring by some necessities on his next trip.

Daniela was a little lost on how things like ninja throwing stars were considered a necessity.

"Cassius didn't seem too bad," commented the girl as they strolled leisurely back to Lip's community service.

He nodded beside her and placed a cigarette between his lips. "Yeah, I suppose. At least they're being looked after there. Don't know how Debbie's holding up, though."

"Fiona said she was still working on getting Debbie's address." The sharp ringing noise coming from Daniela's back pocket alerted her that she was getting a call.

Whipping it out, she checked the caller ID and smiled.

"Hello, brother. What's up?"

"It's mom."

Jakob's distressed tone was enough to halt Daniela in her steps, her smile dropping instantly. Lip, having finally realized that she wasn't beside him, turned to frown at her but it melted away at the sight of her panicked face.

She was sure her hands were shaking and she was too afraid to ask what happened.

She didn't have to.

"Dani." Her brother's shaky voice did nothing to comfort her, nor did the next words he spoke. "She had a stroke."

* * *

Dun. Dun. Dun.

The next one is mere inches from being done so that should be up in a few days time. *fingers crossed*

Also because you're all such beautiful people, the 'special thanks' section is too long so I'll edit it in later but thank you all SO much, the response has been so insanely overwhelming over this past month.

 _I love you all._

x

 **REVIEW!**


	30. A Long Way From Home

**Chapter 30.**

Here's another chapter for all you lovely people! I've also noticed that we're creeping up on that 200 review mark which is always exciting.

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shameless.

* * *

Daniela had never spent a lot of time in hospital cafeterias. Whenever she had been to visit her mother, she would typically just keep to the hospital room.

For some reason, they had always elicited a somber feeling; as if they were a place solely used for people that needed to escape the confines of their sick loved one's bedrooms.

In amongst the light foot traffic of the cafeteria sat Daniela, slouched in a plastic chair with a now tepid cup of coffee placed in front of her. Her eyes were cloudy and distant, almost as if she were in a completely different world by herself.

That's certainly how she felt.

The chatter of a few nurses at a nearby table blended into the background as the news the teen had received a few hours previous rang in her mind.

 _We found a tumor in her brain,_ it chimed. _The cancer is rapidly spreading._

 _Her organs are shutting down._ That one rang out the loudest, pounding against the barriers of her brain.

Before she had even gotten off the phone with her brother the day before, Daniela was on her way to the hospital. When she arrived, her mother wasn't in her room and she had suspected the worst.

On the brink of breaking down, Jakob had been by her side, quick to reassure her that they had simply taken her away to run some tests. The relief Daniela had felt nearly caused her knees to give out.

But it had been short lived.

For the rest of the night, the teen had stuck by her mother's side, holding tightly onto her hand like it was a lifeline- and it was. For her at least. Her mother had yet to wake up after her stroke, leaving Daniela incredibly restless.

After hearing the bad news, Jakob had all but forced his little sister down to the cafeteria while he spoke with the doctors. She hadn't gone easily but she saw the situation wearing on her brother and knew being stubborn would help no one.

As if on auto-pilot- which she was dangerously nearing given the lack of sleep she had had- Daniela raised her cup to her lips before promptly smacking her lips together in a grimace at the cold coffee.

Softly placing it back down, Daniela rested her palms flat against the cool surface of the table, her eyes drifting closed with a tired sigh.

Her ears tuned back into the conversation of a few nurses who were nearing the end of their night-shift.

"-heart attack, elderly. Poor guy," lamented one of them and Daniela quickly glanced over to see the woman eyeing her coffee cup sadly. "He just lost his wife nearly a year ago. No kids, no other family."

"That's awful."

"Yeah. I'd say he doesn't have much longer either."

"I guess we just have to make things as painless as possible," chimed in a third nurse with a resigned shrug. As if on cue, they all finished their coffees before heading back to work.

Daniela swallowed, her index finger tracing the outside of her lid thoughtfully. Whatever thought that sparked in her mind was quickly pushed to the side by the buzzing in her pocket.

Clearing her throat, she reached into her pocket and whipped out her phone.

 _2 new messages_

One, she read, was from Ian and had actually been sent a while ago but she had clearly missed it. The other was from Lip, both asking how her mother was doing.

Texting back a quick reply, Daniela slipped her phone back into her jeans and stood, tossing her half-empty coffee cup in the bin before taking the elevator back to her mother's floor.

Much like when Daniela had left, Camille was asleep when she entered the room. The girl sighed sadly, hoping that there would've been some sort of change. She shuffled to her mother's bedside, dropping unceremoniously into a chair.

Carefully, Daniela took hold of her mother's hand, the woman's low body temperature scaring her. Flicking her eyes up to the monitors, she sighed in relief, seeing that her mother's stats were still somewhat steady.

She squeezed her mother's hand one more time and leaned forward, resting her chin in the crook of her elbow. Her eyes suddenly grew heavy, the effects of little to no sleep finally taking its toll on her body and soon, Daniela drifted asleep.

/

When she finally woke, it was to the sound of voices pouring into the room. Blinking her eyes open, Daniela blearily took in her brother wheeling in her grandmother. Her spine- which was horribly misaligned from her hunched over position- straightened instantly.

"Grandma," she said softly. The older woman eyed her with warm but sad eyes before gesturing for her to come forward.

Daniela did, rising from her chair and crossing the room to bend down and hug her grandmother. Wilda sighed into her ear, her hands rubbing up and down her granddaughter's back soothingly.

Peeling away from her, Daniela took the time to rub the back of her stiff neck, sending a quick glance at a nearby clock to see that she had been asleep for nearly 5 hours and that it was now mid-afternoon.

"How are you?" She finally asked, turning her attention back to the elderly woman.

Wilda smiled grimly. "While I'm glad to be out of that place for a few hours, I hate that it had to be for something so terrible."

Daniela nodded in understanding as her hand was gently taken hold of by the woman. No doubt she could see the troubling look in the teen's eyes.

Jakob, who had been standing by quietly the whole time, finally made his presence known by taking the handles of Wilda's wheelchair and moving her to where Daniela's chair had been beside Camille's hospital bed.

A few silent minutes passed where the two siblings watch their grandmother take hold of Camille's hand, her mouth pinched. They knew that the two women were close and that it would no doubt hurt Wilda to see her daughter-in-law in such a fragile state.

Daniela felt the same. She felt utterly helpless standing idly by, silently praying that her mother would make it through another night.

After patting her daughter-in-law's hand, Wilda fixed her glassy eyes on her grandchildren.

"Does your father know?"

Daniela looked to Jakob who stood with his arms crossed beside her. He shook his head.

"We didn't think it would be smart to tell him over the phone."

Humming in agreement, Wilda nodded. "Good point. You'll need to drive down and see him as soon as you can. It would be best to not delay this news any further."

"Yeah, we'll make a trip down this Sunday." Jakob shared a quick look with his sister who simply nodded back before turning to look at her fingernails.

Scraping off the already chipped nail polish, Daniela thought about how happy she was at the idea of seeing her father again. It had been over a month since she had actually seen him but the two continued to talk on the phone whenever they had the chance.

She couldn't help but feel, however, that it was incredibly bittersweet.

The sharp noise of her phone ringing was enough to rip Daniela out of her thoughts and she was quick to answer her phone after spying that it was Lip.

"Hey," she started as she moved out into the hallway, not bothering to hide the underlying current of sorrow in her voice.

She heard Lip's sharp intake of breath, no doubt picking up on it." _How are you?_ "

"I'm coping," answered Daniela with a snort. "Barely."

" _You sure you don't want me to come by?_ " Asked Lip tentatively and it made her smile.

"No, it's okay. You guys have to get everything ready for tomorrow," she reminded him. "Don't worry about me."

" _Kind of hard not to._ "

"I'll be okay." She could practically see his raised eyebrow on the other side and sighed. "Seriously."

Lip was silent for a moment before determinedly saying, " _I'm coming by tomorrow after the court hearing._ "

"Lip-"

" _No discussion about it. And Ian's gonna come too._ "

On cue, Daniela heard her best friend in the background. " _Hell_ _yeah, we are._ "

Laughing, the teen nodded to herself, her teeth chewing on her lip.

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow."

With their goodbyes said, Daniela hung up, unable to stop the smile that had plastered itself on her face.

Taking a deep breath, she readied herself before walking back into her mother's room, a lot happier than when she left.

/

The next time Daniela woke up it was the morning, judging by the birds chirping on the tree branch outside the hospital window.

Grumbling under her breath, her hand swatted at the one shaking her leg in an attempt to rouse her awake.

"Go away," she moaned, sending a tired glare at her brother.

"Come on."

"What?" Instantly, she was alert, the blanket her brother had draped across her in the middle of the night falling away to the floor. "What's going on?"

"I'm taking you home," spoke Jakob, not leaving any room for argument or discussion. This elicited another groan from Daniela who huddled herself further into the uncomfortable chair.

"No! Why?"

He quirked an eyebrow at her. "Because you haven't showered in two days." Daniela patted down her mussed up hair, eyes narrowing at her brother who was now scrutinizing her disheveled appearance.

"You also haven't left this place in two days."

"I don't want to."

"Well, you're going to," ordered the young man, even going as far as putting his hands on his hips. "And you're going to actually brush your hair."

Daniela rolled her eyes but knew she had no other choice. She also secretly relished at the thought of a hot shower.

"Okay, okay. No need to go all Officer on me."

With a satisfied smirk, Jakob helped his sister stand, ignoring her further grumbles before ushering her out the door once she had pressed a kiss to their mother's forehead. Daniela looked reluctant to leave their mother but nevertheless headed out in front of her brother.

After a- admittedly relaxing- shower, Daniela changed into some fresh clothes and brushed her hair just like she promised her brother she would do. It felt good to be clean again and the shower also helped wash away any residual heaviness from her mind.

Glancing at the alarm clock on her bedside table, Daniela saw that she still had enough time to get to the courthouse for the hearing. After everything with her mom, she hadn't planned on making it, but after yesterday's phone call with Lip, she found herself wanting to be beside him.

It didn't take long for Daniela to whip herself into action. Jakob was more than happy to drop her off, glad to see that she was taking advantage of this opportunity to spend her time away from the hospital.

When they pulled up at the courthouse, Daniela knew she was running a little late and hoped that it wouldn't deter her from getting inside.

"You want me to pick you up after you're done?" Asked Jakob, smiling warmly at her.

Daniela shook her head. "I'll text you."

"Okay, I'll see you later."

With one final wave to her brother, Daniela watched him pull away from the curb before hurrying inside. It was just her luck that the first person her eyes caught onto was Lip.

"Lip!"

His head whipped around at the sound of his name being called before he finally spotted her, the papers in his hands going limp. Not wanting to waste any time, Daniela made her way towards him.

"Hey," she greeted and watched his lips turn up in the corner.

"Hey, I thought you weren't coming."

Daniela shrugged. "I changed my mind."

Lip chuckled but frowned at her. "You know you didn't have to. Especially with your mom and all."

"It's okay," waved off the girl before eyeing her shoes nervously. "Besides, I wanted to be here with you guys."

Her response was enough for Lip whose grin simply widened before he showed her the papers he was holding.

"Okay, I just gotta file Ginger's will and then we'll head in."

"Okay."

Daniela took a few steps but was soon halted by Lip's hand gently grabbing her forearm, tugging her back to him.

Her eyebrows pinched together as she looked up at him. Lip didn't say anything but she could see that there was something unspoken in his blue eyes.

Reaching up to brush a piece of loose hair behind her ear, Lip pulled an already stunned Daniela into his arms. The feel of his arms wrapping around her body was nearly enough to turn the girl into a sobbing mess.

"I'm sorry about your mom," he muttered quietly as he held her head fixed itself beneath his chin.

They stayed like that for a few moments before Daniela eventually pulled away, her eyes glassy as she smiled at Lip. In her chest, she felt a tug.

"Let's go file this will." Tilting her head, Daniela took hold of Lip's hand and tugged him in the direction of the filing station.

"Hey, um. Cleopatra," greeted Lip as they made their way to a vacant window. Cleopatra, who looked like her job was slowly sucking the life out her, waited for the boy to continue while she fanned herself.

"I'm here to file a will, please. If you could just-" he slid the papers over to the woman who picked them up immediately.

Reading over the name, she frowned. "Ginger Gallagher?"

"Mhm."

"Second one today." Both Lip and Daniela's eyebrows hiked.

"What?"

"Had another will filed earlier," droned Cleopatra.

"How is that possible?" Asked Daniela, leaning her elbows on the desk. The woman simply shrugged at her before reaching for the other will to hold up.

"Here it is," her eyes read over it. "It's dated last year so it supersedes yours."

"Who the hell filed it?" Frowned Ian before the woman pushed it up against the glass for the two of them to see.

"Patrick Gallagher," read Daniela, her head tilting at Lip who was now looking a lot more annoyed. "Who's that?"

"Cousin Patrick."

"Did she leave the house to him?" Her question had Lip chewing on the inside of his mouth.

"I'm not sure." Tapping his knuckles on the desk- something Daniela noticed he did whenever he was frustrated- Lip thanked Cleopatra before turning and walking away.

Daniela was quickly at his side, her hand slipping into his own once again. Seeing the troubled look on his face, she rubbed her thumb over his knuckles. His hard frown softened a little as they quietly slipped into the courtroom.

"Your brother, Ian testified about your father's months-long absence," recited the judge as he read over his notes before looking to Carl. "Did his disappearance make you sad?"

Daniela and Lip slipped into the row behind Ian who spotted them as they made their way past, his eyes doing a double-take when he saw his best friend sit down. Lip clapped a hand on his brother's shoulder and took a seat beside her.

Ian pressed his mouth in a small smile to which Daniela responded in kind before they both returned their attentions to the front.

"He got me into camp," said Carl, grinning over at Frank who grinned back.

"Camp?"

"My first time."

The judge smiled and nodded his head. "You have a good time at camp?"

Carl laughed, nodding quickly. "Yeah."

Daniela twisted her mouth to bite down on the inside of her cheek. She could see that things were already not swinging in Fiona's favor.

The bad feeling in her stomach worsened even more as Debbie told her own story about how Frank had helped her with her swimming over the summer.

Somehow Frank had managed to inject just enough happy memories into his children's minds so that it made him seem like an actual father. It unsettled Daniela who knew if it continued like this, Fiona would have no chance.

"Mr. Gallagher," began the judge in his authoritarian voice. "You have very special children."

 _Yes he does_ , thought Daniela snidely to herself. _Children who are so deserving of a better, more loving father._

"That's why I had to leave, Your Honor," affirmed Frank and Daniela rolled her eyes at the pitying voice he took on. "I couldn't stand to see them live through my battle with addiction any longer."

She felt Lip's hand tighten in anger around hers, his narrowed eyes burning into the back of his father's head. Daniela didn't blame him.

"So you left?"

"To get help. Sometimes the hardest part is admitting you need it and I didn't want to come home until I was clean and sober. A father they could be proud of."

Daniela's jaw clenched, hating that his own children had to sit quietly and endure Frank spewing lies. The man didn't give a crap what his kids thought of him. All that mattered was that he had a bottomless supply of booze.

"It isn't easy but," he pulled up a blue AA chip, waving it proudly at the judge. In front of her, Ian tipped his head back in disbelief. "Every day I still have one of these is a good day."

Daniela had to hand it to the man. He really knew how to put on a show.

"You're not really buying this, are you?" Scoffed Fiona, voicing everyone's thoughts.

The judge attempted to settle her. "Miss Gallagher."

"Have you seen his record?"

The man nodded and looked down at it. "Have it right here."

As he recited Frank's very, very long list of crimes, Daniela turned to Lip.

"You'd think that would be enough for him to just hand you over to Fiona," she whispered, careful to not let her voice rise too much. Lip chuckled wryly in response as the judge finished up.

"-four DUIs and you don't even own a car." The judge peered down his spectacles at Frank who shrugged.

"Alcohol is a cruel mistress."

"He hasn't stopped drinking and he never will," piped in Fiona, sick of hearing Frank spout bullshit.

It confused them all why Frank was even fighting to keep his kids given the fact he had never shown any proper concern up until that moment.

"I'm not the perfect parent," admitted Frank to which both Ian and Lip snorted quietly.

 _That's an understatement._

"I like to have a good time and live life to the fullest. Sometimes, I go too far. But I love my kids." He sent a quick glance in their direction. "They mean the world to me." Frank continued his plea to keep his children, even faking tears at one point.

It was commendable. If Daniela didn't know any better, she would think what he was saying was true. Too bad she knew it wasn't.

"Miss Gallagher. You want to tell me why your father should be declared unfit?"

The woman in question looked at her younger siblings sitting beside her and something changed in here. A small smile crept onto Daniela's face as she saw that Fiona wasn't going to go down without a fight.

"We were living out a car once," she stated, her voice unsettlingly even. "Uncle Nick had kicked us out. We couldn't find anyone else who would take us in. Lip and Ian and me were sleeping in the backseat when Frank pulled over."

Daniela sucked in a breath and looked at Lip who had his other hand curled and resting on his mouth. She pulled their conjoined hands to rest on her thigh, her thumb trailing over his knuckles again.

"Middle of the night, think it was Halstead. He told me to take the boys and sit on the curb, and he'd be right back. I was six." Fiona twisted her mouth and shrugged casually.

In the background, Daniela clenched her eyes shut, sensing where this was going.

"A few hours later, we're still waiting on the sidewalk and Ian's head is burning up. He's hysterical, I don't know what to do. So I ran down the street. Lip under one arm, Ian on the other, trying to flag down help. Would've been easier scoring crack than a ride to the clinic."

Lip's grip on her hand tightened ever so slightly and she pressed her mouth together, squeezing back. She didn't know if he remembered this story and quite frankly, she hoped he didn't.

Fiona continued to tell the judge her story, seeing that it was beginning to have an effect on the man. On the other side of the room, Frank dropped his head.

"My mother is bipolar," carried on Fiona, her voice growing thick with emotion. "And my father is an alcoholic and an addict. He takes what he pleases and he offers nothing." Raising her chin, the young woman stared up at the judge who was regarding her with something akin to respect.

"I'm not asking for your pity or your admiration. I just want to be able to give these kids everything they deserve because they're great kids and they deserve better."

The judge was silent before banging his gavel and ordering both Fiona and her lawyer to follow him to his chambers.

As the three filed out of the room, everyone released a breath. Daniela wiped a stray tear from her cheek before looking to Lip who looked even more affected than she did.

She leaned her head forward, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "You okay?"

His eyes met hers and he nodded stiffly. In front of them, Ian rose from his seat and walked around the chair to their row. Daniela stood and was quickly enveloped in her best friend's arms.

They embraced for three long moments before he pulled away, a sad smile on his face. "Thanks for coming."

Daniela smiled back, shrugging lightly. "Of course."

"How's your mom?" He asked, watching his friend's expression sober.

"Stable- for the most part. She still hasn't woken up yet."

Ian twisted his mouth, placing a hand on her shoulder comfortingly. It made a thin layer of tears prick at her eyes but she quickly pushed it back down. The two friends continued to chat while they waited for the judge, Fiona and her lawyer to return.

When they did, the courtroom fell silent but as Fiona made her way back to her seat, she spared a glance in her brothers' direction. They didn't miss the small upturn of her mouth and felt relief swell in their chest.

As the judge began to explain to Frank that he could keep his parental rights whilst also allowing Fiona to be their main guardian, Daniela felt that bright feeling grow. Frank, obviously, was more than willing to accept which caused a light scoff from the girl.

Ordering Fiona to stand, the judge continued on. "Do you agree to be the guardian of these children?"

"Yes, I do."

Daniela beamed at Lip who couldn't help his own grin; his hand squeezing hers.

"Well, that will be my order then," declared the judge, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. "Take your children home."

As soon as the sound of his gavel rang out, everyone was on their feet, hugging and cheering their victory. Daniela couldn't help her wide smile as Fiona turned to look at her siblings, nearly about to burst into tears of happiness.

Lip found Daniela's waist easily, pulling her towards him to place a kiss on the side of her head.

/

"Are you gonna tell Fiona about the house?" Questioned Daniela later that night.

Her and Lip were cuddled up on his bed, the familiar sounds of his family moving around in the hallway eliciting a certain comfort for the two of them.

Lip nodded, sighing a little. "Tomorrow, once everything has settled down."

Daniela, who was pressed against his side, nodded back and peered up at Lip whose eyes were already fixed on her intently. It caused her to frown.

"What?"

His blue eyes settled on her warm hazel ones and he shook his head. "Thanks for coming today. It felt right having you there."

Daniela felt another tug in her chest along with an intense warmth filling her belly as she continued to stare up at him from her spot underneath his spread out arm.

"It felt right being there," she said back, her voice barely a whisper. A single finger tilted Daniela's face up so that Lip could place a soft kiss on her lips.

Snuggling further into his side, Daniela nestled her head into Lip's shoulder, feeling exhaustion creep up on her.

Underneath the tiredness, she also felt a safety around Lip that she had never experienced with anyone else; that wasn't including Ian who always made her feel safe.

But this was different. This was something she wasn't sure she completely understood.

Daniela didn't spend much time contemplating exactly what it was because her eyelids were soon drooping until she managed to drift asleep. Lip, who was still barely awake, watched her lips part in her sleep.

She shifted her face, nuzzling further into him and causing a piece of hair to fall into her eyes, stopping him from completely seeing her. Being careful not to wake her, Lip brushed it away, his hand resting on her cheek.

Brushing it with his thumb, he leaned in to press another kiss to her forehead before settling himself in for the night and soon, he was also asleep.

/

Daniela sat on the metal chair, her knee bouncing as she felt consumed with nervous energy. Her brother wasn't much better and he chewed on the inside of his cheek as he stood beside her.

Spotting a familiar figure step up on the other side of the glass, the siblings looked up at their father who took them in with a large smile.

He settled on his seat quickly, unhooking the phone from the wall.

Daniela also reached for hers before holding it to her ear, waiting for her dad to speak first.

"Hey, kiddo," greeted Lawrence warmly and Daniela allowed herself a soft smile.

"Hey, dad."

"How are things? I know your birthday is coming up in a few weeks. The big 18. You must be pretty excited, huh?"

Daniela cleared her throat, resting her other forearm along the cool metal of the bench. "Uh, yeah. It should be good."

Lawrence prided himself on being rather observant so as soon as he heard the distraction in his daughter's voice, he knew something was up. A look to his son didn't do much to quell his fear and his expression sobered quickly.

"What's happened?" He asked, his voice growing terse.

Daniela shared a pained look with her brother before rising from her seat, handing the phone to him. They figured it would be best if Jakob told their dad.

Lawrence's eyes followed their movements critically, sensing what- or more so who- this was about.

Clearing his throat, Jakob took a deep breath to ready himself. As he told Lawrence what happened, Daniela stood silently to the side, watching the muscles in her father's face change. Each emotion was intense but it was soon replaced with another.

Once Jakob was finished, they waited, hoping desperately that their father wouldn't lash out and earn himself, even more, jail time. That was the last thing any of them needed.

But Lawrence just continued to sit there like a statue with his vice-like grip on the phone. His eyes weren't settled on them but on the benchtop and they were narrowed in a mix of confusion and frustration.

Gulping, Jakob shared another wary look with his sister who simply pressed her lips together.

It felt like hours before Lawrence finally did anything.

Slowly, he hung up the phone and, looking eerily calm, rose from his seat before promptly walking out. The siblings' eyes stayed glued to their father's back as he disappeared.

Daniela felt tears prick at her eyeballs instantly and grabbed onto her forearms to try and steady her emotions. Jakob, seeing this, placed an arm around her shoulders causing her to finally let them fall. And with one came many, many more.

She stayed a blubbering mess the whole way back to the parking lot. As they reached her brother's truck, Jakob rubbed her shoulder comfortingly.

"It's gonna be okay," he soothed which just made her cry even more. Daniela sniffled and wiped at her nose. "He just feels helpless, that's all." She could hear the pain in his own voice as she settled into her seat.

The ride back home was mostly silent save for the radio playing lightly in the background. Halfway in, Daniela had managed to slow down her tears until it was just an annoying little hiccup every now and again.

She thought about what her brother had said, about how her father had felt helpless. She couldn't imagine how he felt. No matter how much her father wanted to, he couldn't see her mother- his wife- who could quite possibly be on her way out.

Daniela empathized with her father. There was nothing she could do about it either, no matter how much she hoped and prayed.

Out of the corner of her eye, Daniela spotted her brother shooting looks her way. Rotating her head, she saw how tightly his hands were clenching the wheel, showing that he was struggling to keep it together as well.

"It's gonna be okay." She repeated his own words as she stared at him with red, puffy eyes. Jakob's jaw clenched and his chest began to rise and fall quickly.

He tried to make a sound of agreement but inevitably choked on the end of it. Blowing out a ragged breath, he twisted his grip on the wheel and glanced at his sister, a sad smile on his face.

Neither of them knew if it what she said was true, but at that moment, they weren't willing to believe anything else.

* * *

Gah! Sometimes I can't deal with how cute Daniela and Lip are. I know a big scene is basically ripped out of the show but I tried to make it as painless to read as possible.

Also, sad times with Lawrence.

Let me know what you thought!

 _Special thanks to_ : xenocanaan, x NikiSt x, RHatch89, SweetRiceball20, hanna891, Isabeux3, Danielle C, Maddprincess, Emily, blue Wren, Winchestergirl123, KillerJuiceBox, AnImEfReAk4994, Naruhina1519, SmillyReaper, Raelyn95, 0Cloudless0, TWAHTT18, Queenylime21, brittany9901, Runninglover802, bellamysblake, DynaLover101, and Who Cares711!

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	31. When There's A Will

**Chapter 31.**

Yeah. I don't really have a reason for why this chapter took so long other than that for the first time ever I lost interest which is a shock considering this is where all the fun starts.

Also, my laptop went kaput so that put a bit of a damper on my creativity.

Please accept this long fluffy chapter as a sign of my forgiveness.

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shameless.

* * *

It took a whole week after her stroke before Camille managed to regain consciousness, much to the delight of her children. Because of this, Daniela had dedicated even more of her time at the hospital, just wanting to be with her mother.

The woman was never awake for too long, something her and the doctors were working on improving, but other than that, they had tentatively declared that Camille was beginning to look much better and that her stats were something to be proud of.

Unfortunately for Daniela, the clock was ticking down and the new school year was rapidly creeping up on her. Jakob made it his personal mission to remind her of this by ensuring she at least took some time to get herself ready.

Daniela had brushed it off, stating that she was only going back for a few weeks anyway but he had still been insistent that she spend some time hitting the books in preparation.

Which lead to Daniela's current predicament. Katherine- who she had warmed up to even more- was kind enough to offer her a ride back to her house which Daniela had readily accepted.

The blonde had also been spending a lot of time at the hospital with them and was a huge comfort to Jakob which the teen was very happy about. There was no doubt that the couple cared deeply for each other.

Raking a tired hand through her hair, Daniela sighed and hopped out of the car as they pulled up outside the house. Katherine followed closely behind, wanting to make sure that the girl actually went inside. Daniela stood at the base of the stairs before turning to like at the woman, a small smile on her face.

"You don't have to stay here you know?"

Katherine blew out a breath and nodded. "I know that. But I promised your brother that I would make sure you actually get some sleep."

"And I will," promised Daniela, angling her body fully towards the woman. "You should go back to the hospital. My brother needs you more than I do."

Katherine still seemed reluctant to leave Daniela all alone but it wasn't long before she finally gave in. Her shoulders sagged in defeat and the teen grinned to herself.

"Promise me you'll actually sleep." Katherine pointed a finger at her for good measure, trying her best to look even the slightest bit strict. Daniela's mouth tugged higher and she nodded dutifully.

"Promise."

With one last wary look, Katherine turned and left leaving Daniela stood at the bottom of the stairs. The girl pursed her lips, turning her gaze to the top of the stairs where the bathroom was. She did promise both her brother and Katherine that she would sleep. And she would. Just not at her house.

Hiking it up the stairs, Daniela's first stop was to her closet to find some fresh clothes before heading into the bathroom. Personal hygiene was high on her list of priorities and she didn't exactly fancy going around to her boyfriend's house looking like death.

/

"Do you even know what you're doing?" Questioned Daniela an hour later, one eyebrow hiked at Lip as he typed away at his laptop.

He shook his head, a concentrated frown etched onto his face. "Not really. That's why I've gotta search this up."

Lip had told her of their plan to challenge the will Cousin Patrick had filed as they all knew it was fake considering it was dated two years previous and Ginger had been long gone by then. That left the Gallaghers in a sticky predicament that they needed to work around if they were to save their house from Patrick.

Daniela hummed to herself and moved to lay beside him. As she curled up into herself, Lip glanced away from his laptop to stare at her, his frown lessening.

They hadn't had the chance to spend much time together recently what with the whole Patrick ordeal and then her mother being sick. Lip had been missing her company more and more so to have her finally there with him was something he wanted to take advantage of.

Noticing his stare, Daniela frowned and gently nudged the laptop. "Don't let me distract you."

The corner of the boy's mouth quirked up as his eyes continued to scan her. She barely had enough time to register the mischievousness in them before the laptop was pushed to the side.

Unceremoniously, Daniela found herself situated where the machine had once been, her legs straddling his own. The tips of Lip's fingers ran up her arms slowly, causing her to tilt her head down to watch the movement. Turning her chin, Daniela leaned forward, catching Lip's mouth with her own.

She sighed into it, feeling that comfort she had now come to associate with him as her hand moved to rest against his jaw, bringing him even closer. Beneath her, she felt Lip shift slightly, positioning her over him better as their kisses grew more heated; their want for each other intensifying from the distance they had had to endure.

She felt Lip's tugging at the hem of her shirt and she wasted no time breaking away long enough for him to peel it off of her. A ragged breath shuddered out of her as Lip's hands continued their journey across the smooth expanse of her skin; the grips of his fingers digging deeper.

As he went to work off her bra, they each heard a knock on the door followed by Ian's voice.

"Lip? Can I talk to you?"

Daniela lifted her head from Lip's, seeing the irritation in his eyes that she also felt. His eyes locked with hers and she could see that he intended on ignoring whatever his brother wanted, finding their current predicament much more important. Shaking his head at her, he tugged her back down to him.

"Lip?" Ian's voice called once more, wondering if his brother had even heard him. Lip suppressed a groan.

"Can you do it through the door?"

Daniela giggled, her head shifting to rest in the crook of his neck while a hand stayed tangled in his hair. There was a silence that followed meaning that the answer to his question was a no.

Sighing, Lip briefly kissed her collarbone in apology before Daniela pushed herself to the side. She made to grab her discarded shirt while Lip hobbled to the door; the sight making her laugh under her breath. She managed to tug it back on just as Lip opened the door to glare at his brother.

Ian's eyes widened a fraction when he caught sight of Daniela perched on the edge of the bed. She waved at him in greeting, smiling softly though by the look his brother was shooting him, he had clearly interrupted something.

"What is it?" Lip questioned impatiently, drawing the attention of Ian once again. The boy's face shifted a little causing both Lip and Daniela to frown. He glanced between the two again, not sure how to begin.

Sensing that this was a private matter, Daniela stood from the bed.

"I think I'm gonna go help Debbie pick out her outfit for tomorrow," she said, squeezing past the two brothers. Lip's eyes stuck to her as she made her way down the hallway and into Debbie's room. With a sudden seriousness, he looked back to his brother.

"This better be good."

/

"Hey, Debs," greeted Daniela, coming to stand in the entrance of the younger girl's room. Debbie glanced up at her, smiling briefly.

"Hey."

"You getting ready for tomorrow?"

"Yeah. I'm still deciding what to wear. Fiona tried to help out before but it didn't go that well." She gestured to the pile of clothes thrown onto her bed with some items laid out separately.

Daniela laughed softly and shrugged. "I could lend a hand if you want?"

The younger pressed her lips together, sighing. "Thanks, Ella but you weren't exactly much help last year."

Daniela thought back, seeing that she had a point. She had been so caught up with Lip and his stupid downward spiral with Karen that had aggravated her to no end that she had barely been paying attention to Debbie.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I was too busy being pissed off at your brother." She pushed herself off the wall and walked to Debbie. "But! I can promise you this year that you have my undivided attention."

The younger girl seemed wary- and rightfully so- but nodded nevertheless. "I guess I could give you another chance."

A grin lit up Daniela's face that Debbie instantly mirrored, her excitement growing now that she had someone to help her out.

"So these are the clothes I have. I've already picked out a few pieces I thought would look good together." The girl continued to happily chatter away about it and how much she was looking forward to going back to school.

For the next twenty minutes, both girls worked together to pull together an outfit worthy of Debbie's first day of the new school year. Daniela proved her worth by rifling through all of the clothes and picking out a few Debbie hadn't considered.

Having come to a sound conclusion, the two girls stood back to marvel at their work.

"Not bad, Ella," praised Debbie, grinning up at the older girl. Feeling quite proud of herself, Daniela returned it before her attention was caught by Lip leaning in the doorway.

She wasn't sure how long he had been there for as he stood watching the two of them, an inscrutable look on his face that Daniela picked up on right away.

"Everything okay?"

Lip made a noise of approval, bobbing his head slightly. "Yeah. Ian just wanted to talk more about the Patrick thing."

At the mention of their cousin, Debbie's head picked up. "Did you manage to find out how we're gonna challenge the will?"

"Not yet," answered Lip, shaking his head. Daniela saw that he looked a lot more worn out than he did before and it worried her.

"Hey, Debs?" She turned to address the younger girl. "Is it okay if I go now?"

Smiling knowingly, Debbie nodded. "Go on. Thanks for helping me, Ella."

"No problem," smiled Daniela over her shoulder as she made her way to Lip. "You're gonna look great tomorrow."

Lip followed behind as they both headed back into his room. Neither said anything causing Daniela's worry to build. She placed herself at the edge of the bed, fixing her eyes on him.

"You sure you're okay?" She asked once more, wanting to make sure. Lip nodded making her press her lips together. "If it's okay with you, I think I'm just gonna have a nap."

"That's fine," said Lip, moving to bed and picking up the laptop. "I need to get going on this will stuff." Daniela watched him silently, taking in the tiny frown etched into his features.

"You know you can talk to me if you ever need to, right?" Daniela tried one more time while she situated herself beside him. Lip took a break from his typing to meet her stare.

"I know," he sighed. "It's just the possibility that we could lose the house." Now Daniela understood. She felt awful about it all too and it wasn't even hers.

Placing a hand to his jaw, she pressed a single, soft kiss to his lips before lying down beside him. Her eyes drifted shut, hearing Lip go back to his typing a few beats later and it wasn't long before it lulled her to sleep.

/

The next morning, Daniela decided to get to school a little early- something shocking for her- but she figured it would be good since she needed to stop by Mr. Healey's office.

The moment she stepped into the school hallways, she felt her stomach sink at the bittersweet thought that she had to endure the place for a couple more weeks.

At least she wasn't in Lip's position. He still had months to go before he would get his diploma.

Daniela came to a stop outside of Healey's office, seeing that the door was already open a crack. Knocking tentatively, she watched the balding man meet her eye from behind his desk.

"Miss Kaufman," he greeted politely. "This is a pleasant surprise."

"Hey, Mr. Healey." She stepped into the room, closing the door softly behind her. "You got a minute?"

"Please," he gestured to the free seat in front of his desk. "Have a seat." She did just that, watching as he flipped a folder closed and pushed it to the side before making a steeple with his fingers, offering her his full attention.

"What can I do for you?"

"Uh, I wanted to talk to you about my path after high school," she began a little nervously. She had done a lot of thinking over the past two weeks and came to a realization.

Healey hummed and leaned back in his chair, twiddling his thumbs thoughtfully. "So I take it you've decided on what to do?"

"Nursing," Daniela answered, her voice full of conviction. The man simply raised his eyebrows, something that made her frown. "You don't think it'd be a good idea?"

"No, no. I think it would be great. In fact, I'm a little annoyed I didn't think of it myself."

Daniela laughed a little before sobering, her brows pinching together. "I know it's a bit late but is there a chance I'd be able to get some applications sent in still?"

Healey seemed uncertain, the twist in his mouth being indication enough for the girl who felt the hope in her chest shrivel up. After a few long moments, the man tilted his head thoughtfully.

"It won't be easy but I do have connections with a few colleges who would take your applications if you were to get them filled out by this Friday."

She nodded eagerly. "Yeah, I can do that."

Healey nodded back, a grin growing on his face as he watched her. "Great. Give me till the end of the day to get those forms together and then come get them."

"Okay." Feeling lighter than she did when she came in, Daniela stood and made her way to the door, pausing as she took hold of the handle. Glancing over her shoulder, she gave the man a grateful smile. "Thanks, Mr. Healey.

"Anytime, kid."

Tossing him a quick wave, Daniela walked out and hitched the strap of her bag higher.

/

When lunch rolled around, Daniela was left alone to her own devices. Lip had decided to spend his time reading up about legalities and wills in their piss-poor excuse for a school library. Thankfully for her, Simon dropped by offering lunch which she was not going to say no to.

"Thank your mom for the lunch for me," she said, wiping the corners of her mouth to expel any pesky crumbs.

Simon chuckled and waved it off. "She was afraid you weren't taking care of yourself with everything that's happened." His eyes traveled over her with a scrutiny that had her wriggling in her seat. "And she was right. How much sleep have you had?"

"Enough," supplied Daniela, raising her chin defiantly before taking a bite of the sandwich his mother had made for her. Simon's raised eyebrow was enough to show that he didn't believe her.

Clearing her throat, Daniela shifted the topic along. "So why are you really here?"

"I'm not allowed to visit my friend?" He asked skeptically which she rolled her eyes good-naturedly at.

"Of course you can- and lunch is always appreciated! But you won't stop looking around for something," she paused to raise her brows knowingly. "Or someone."

Simon sighed in defeat. "I did come to check up on you but I was also hoping to see Mandy."

"Things still rocky?"

"You really want to know?" He frowned. Usually, she would try whatever she could to avoid talking about his relationship with Mandy that still somehow managed to confuse her.

Daniela simply shrugged. "I'm bored."

Simon huffed a small laugh before heaving a sigh that piqued his friend's interest. "She's been ignoring me."

"Yeah, I kind of gathered that from that the fact that she's not hanging around you right now."

"I told her that I wanted her to finish high school while I was away at college and she thought it was my attempt to get her to stay here while I had sex with college girls," continued the boy, raking a frustrated hand through his hair.

"And what did you tell her?"

"Didn't get time to say anything before she stormed out." Simon stared down at his hands. "Hasn't spoken to me ever since."

"Well," huffed Daniela, bulging her eyes. "No one said dating Mandy Milkovich was going to be easy."

"Yeah, I'm starting to see that."

Daniela twisted her mouth, seeing how much this was affecting her friend. Feeling like she had to do something to help him, the girl nodded determinedly to herself.

"I'll talk to her."

"Excuse me?" Stuttered Simon, eyebrows hiking up to his hairline. "Are my ears defective or did you just say you'd talk to Mandy. Like, actually hold a conversation with her that doesn't consist of snide comments and dirty looks."

Daniela rolled her eyes at his dramatics. "Yes, Simon. I did."

The boy's eyes narrowed in suspicion before he abruptly leaned across the table to slap the back of his hand against her forehead.

"Nope. No fever," he muttered to himself. Daniela scoffed, swatting his hand away as the bell rang out around them. She stood from her seat, scrunching the brown paper bag up into a ball before tossing it into a nearby trash can.

"I'm only doing this for you because you're my friend."

"And I truly appreciate the thought but don't you think you'll just make things worse?" Worried Simon, chewing on his lip. He knew she had good intentions but he had never seen Daniela and Mandy act kindly towards each other.

The girl gasped in faux shock, pressing a hand to her chest as if she were actually wounded. "That hurts, Si. Really. Besides, you should have more faith in me."

With one last thank you for the lunch, Daniela made her way to class, leaving a petrified Simon behind.

/

It seemed like Daniela's body wasn't ready for the workload that was school because as soon as she was home, she was out like a light. At last her body won out and the number of hours she got that night was well-needed.

By the next morning, she felt more rejuvenated and carried a bit more pep in her step. The bell rang out and soon students were clamoring out of the classrooms into the rapidly-filling hallway.

Daniela was among those people and she made sure to glare at any of her peers that bumped into her in their hasty attempt to get to their lockers. She was in the process of shooting a particularly vicious one at a sophomore when her eyes caught onto Mandy walking into the bathrooms.

Remembering her promise of good deed to Simon, Daniela changed course and made to follow her.

Much to her delight, the bathroom was empty save for one stall. Mandy was stood in front of the mirror re-applying her make-up when she spotted the other girl lingering nearby.

Her mouth instantly curled in disdain. "The fuck do you want?"

Daniela inhaled deeply, biting her tongue so as to not shoot her a retort. "I'm gonna choose to ignore that and just get right to the point. Why are you avoiding Simon?"

"None of your business." Mandy didn't even bother sparing her a look this time as she worked on her mascara. The tick in her jaw grew the more she was in the other girl's presence.

"True," conceded Daniela. "But he's my friend and you're ragging on him for no reason."

Their conversation was shortly interrupted by the flushing of a toilet before a girl emerged from the stall. Both Mandy and Daniela silently waited for her to wash her hands and leave before continuing, though the Milkovich looked about ready to ditch with her.

As the door swung closed, Daniela leveled Mandy with a look to which she huffed at.

"He wants me to stay here while he goes to college," she revealed, that persistent bite lingering in her tone.

Daniela didn't mind and instead leaned against the wall. "Because he cares about you."

"So what?" Mandy scoffed, eyeing her through the mirror. "He gets to go off to college and fuck 20-something-year-old hipsters behind my back while I stay here?"

That elicited a small chuckle from the older girl who simply crossed her arms. "You're mad at him because you're jealous."

"I'm not-"

"Oh, come on." She sighed, exasperated. "You really think Simon's gonna cheat on you?"

It seemed Mandy certainly did think it was a possibility judging by her sudden silence. Daniela watched as she rotated on her foot before resting against the sink. The girl's guard had slipped just enough for Daniela to glimpse at the nervousness underneath.

"What if he meets another girl at college? One who's exactly like him… " Mandy's voice quieted. "One who's better than I am."

In her chest, Daniela felt something akin to sorrow for the other girl. Seeing her so vulnerable seemed so _off_. Mandy wasn't supposed to be a worrying girl, she was supposed to be a badass that - on occasion- impressed Daniela.

"Enough with the pity party." She couldn't keep the sliver of disturbed revulsion from her voice.

Instantly, Mandy's eyes darkened. "What?"

"You're Mandy _fucking_ Milkovich," stressed Daniela. "A girl who does what she wants without taking shit from anybody else- especially some hipster college girls. And I can tell you right now that Simon won't give a damn about any of them."

The Milkovich, seeming to catch onto how strange this entire situation was, narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"You're being nice to me. Why?"

It was a question she had asked herself plenty of times. Why was she bothering with this? They weren't friends, they never were. While she may have originally convinced herself it was solely for the benefit of Simon- and indirectly herself- Daniela was beginning to think there was more to it.

Their whole lives, the two of them had been bred to believe that the other was a taint on the Earth. This ideology worsened once Mandy moved in on her territory and stuck around causing more than a few rifts. However, Daniela couldn't deny the fact that the whole act was- for lack of a better word- draining and she didn't think she could bear it for much longer.

Coming to this startling conclusion, Daniela sighed. "I know you're not a bad person. There's little chance Ian or Simon would want anything to do with you if you were." Now came the hard part. Her eyes dropped to her shoes momentarily before meeting Mandy's confused stare.

"And I think we got off on the wrong foot." Daniela shrugged. "Wasn't really our fault, though."

Her admission drew a tense silence that had her shuffling from foot to foot while she waited for Mandy to say something- anything.

Nothing.

Daniela was surprised they hadn't been interrupted by anybody else coming into the bathroom. Growing impatient, she sighed in exasperation.

"Come on, dude. I'm offering an olive branch here."

Mandy, still hesitant, finally broke her silence. "Got any ideas?"

Daniela nearly collapsed against the wall in relief as a small smile graced her face. "Well, I would start by talking to him again. Hear him out and then once you have, try and come to a mutual agreement." At that Mandy nodded and she pushed herself off of the sink, making a beeline for the door.

With her hand hovering over the handle, she paused, hearing Daniela's voice. "And uh, don't worry about Simon. He's too nice to cheat."

The Milkovich threw her one more stiff nod. "Thanks." It was tense and sounded like it took effort but Daniela knew she meant it. There was no doubt this new change in their dynamic was going to take some getting use to.

"No problem."

Clearing her throat, Mandy tucked a piece of hair behind her ear before swiftly making her exit. Feeling oddly satisfied, Daniela lingered behind for a moment before doing the same and instantly collided with a body.

"There you are," spoke a warm familiar voice. Daniela looked up to meet Lip's eyes, feeling his arms wind around her. "I was looking for you."

"Sorry, I was just doing something for Simon." She tossed a glance at the bathroom door before returning to Lip who analyzed her curiously.

"You look happy."

"Am I not allowed to be?" She asked, raising her chin defiantly. The boy chuckled under his breath, arms pulling her closer to him.

"Of course you are." Using his grip on her for assistance, he led her to a nearby classroom, a signature smirk tugging at his mouth. "In fact, I plan on taking full advantage of that happiness."

Daniela laughed heartily, allowing him to pull her deeper into the empty classroom.

/

The next day was incredibly uneventful for Daniela, though she did have a little giggle at the news that Carl had actually tried to kill Cousin Patrick by spiking his lunch with rat poison. She knew it was wrong of her to laugh about something so serious but the hilarity of it being such a Carl thing to do wasn't lost on her.

A small grin toyed at her lips as she remembered Lip telling her about it the night earlier. He wasn't at school today. He had told her about going with Fiona to check out a house that was within their price range. Daniela could see how much it affected him that he had to say goodbye to his home. The place he had lived his entire life.

She thought more about how unfair the whole situation was as she made her way to her first class of the day. Biology. Daniela was pretty thankful that she chose it as one of her subjects considering her newly distinguished career path. The more she had thought about it, the more it made sense for her to be a nurse.

This whole situation with her mother had been incredibly enlightening and it was in those moments where she was sat beside her mother's bed feeling helpless, too nervous to breathe too loudly in fear that it might cause something drastic to happen, that she learned what she wanted to do with her life. She didn't want to feel helpless while people who were sick- people she cared about- suffered. It was unnerving.

Besides, helping people was sort of her MO and Daniela was excited about it all; her want to finish school as soon as possible growing.

Hiking the strap of her bag up higher onto her shoulder, Daniela continued on her way to class.

"Daniela!"

She froze.

No. It couldn't be.

Daniela's eyes widened a fraction at the sound of that oh so familiar voice. The voice that signaled nothing but trouble.

Karen.

She didn't want to believe it- didn't want to turn around for fear that the blonde was actually there- back in Chicago. She did it anyway, turning to see Karen advancing toward her, eyes set on her face with a sickly sweet smile.

Finally, she came to a stop in front of Daniela, pearly white teeth on display. Daniela felt sick.

"Karen," she acknowledged stiffly, lips pursed slightly. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I was just re-enrolling," answered the blonde, waving a lazy hand in the direction of the front office. Daniela glanced over her shoulder at it before returning to her blue eyes with a nod.

"So you're back for good then?"

Karen shrugged her shoulders, looking chipper. "Yep. It feels good to be back." She then frowned and pointed a finger at the other girl questioningly. "Lip didn't tell you?"

Daniela wasn't sure how she was supposed to react to that. The first thing she felt was confusion. Then came fear followed by a burning anger. It seemed to be what Karen was looking for because her expression grew more satisfied though she did well to hide it.

"You talked to Lip?"

Karen bobbed her head before tilting it, creating a false air of innocence. "I came by the other day but Ian told me to wait outside." A shrug. "Guess he was trying to make sure you didn't find out."

Ian knew too? More importantly, why hadn't she been told? If there was one thing Daniela hated, it was being caught off guard.

Case in point.

She tried her best to seem nonchalant given the circumstances, and instead offered Karen a kind smile that had the other girl gritting her teeth.

"What brought you back?" It was a genuine question but Daniela had one idea as to why. Karen seemed to be thinking the same thing as she sighed deeply.

"I missed this place. But I hear things have changed." Daniela inhaled, holding onto the breath of air. Karen arched an eyebrow. "Like you and Lip."

Neither said anything, choosing instead to lock themselves into a silent stare-off. Daniela didn't back down, if anything she ramped it up by slapping on a sickly sweet smile of her own, mocking Karen's fake innocence.

"Well, you know how things go. One door closes another one opens."

Karen looked as if she had been slapped in the face. Any warm façade she had created dropped in that instant, a deep glare bearing down on Daniela who wasn't rattled in the least. Blue eyes washed over the other girl before an amused smirk flitted to her lips.

"I knew I was right about you."

Daniela knew what she was referring to. That day in Karen's basement that seemed so long ago now. At the time, Daniela had had no idea of her budding feelings for Lip, nor was she ready to accept them anytime soon. But, even then, Karen had seen it- smelt it on her like a bad scent she couldn't shake.

The blonde, feeling that her work had been done, sighed softly.

"I better get going then."

Daniela just nodded stoically. "Of course."

Karen turned on her heel, intent on walking away when something pulled her back. She glanced over her shoulder at Daniela and hammered in the final nail.

"Say hi to Lip for me."

Daniela's narrowed eyes burned into Karen's retreating back, wishing in that moment that she had laser vision so she could fry the bitch up. The encounter had left a sour taste in her mouth.

Just at that moment, her phone beeped. Daniela pulled it out to see that it was from Lip. That anger flared once more and she thought back to the day she was sure Karen had come over. She had noticed something was off with him when he returned but, Lip being Lip, brushed it off entirely and she had let it go.

Now she wished she hadn't.

The text asked if she was going to be able to make it to the court hearing later that afternoon. She heaved a sigh, having forgotten all about it. However, Daniela wasn't sure she'd be able to handle being in a room with him at the moment.

Her fingers pushed harshly at the buttons, typing her blunt reply.

 _Can't. Have work, sorry._

It wasn't a lie. She did and Daniela was thankful for the excuse to avoid him for a few moments later, though she knew she wouldn't be able to avoid him or the topic forever- and she didn't intend to. But first, she needed time to think and cool down before they came to that.

/

The realization hadn't been pretty.

The end of her shift had been drawing nearer when it happened. Daniela had been lounging idly behind the cash register, magazine in hand in a hollow attempt to get her mind off of Karen and her return. The pages blurred into one as she flicked through them, not really paying attention.

The nagging question of why Lip hadn't told her stuck and, no matter how hard she tried, Daniela couldn't get rid of it. She knew Karen had brought it up on purpose, probably realizing that he wouldn't do it himself.

When the end of her shift came, Daniela contemplated her next course of action. Sure, she could've simply gone home and slept on it but there was also another side of her that knew she wouldn't be able to sleep if she didn't confront this head on. The longer she let it brew, the more restless and aggravated she would become, and that wasn't going to help anyone.

Slipping into the house had been easy enough. The Gallaghers rarely bothered locking up since it was the South Side and there wasn't much for anybody to steal. However, just in case, Daniela carried around a spare key Ian had issued specially for her so that she could come and go as she pleased.

The house was silent. Daniela gathered that they all must've been at the hearing still. Concluding that it should've been done by now, she headed up to Lip's room, estimating that she had half-an-hour give or take before they got home.

Her eyes scanned the dark room as she made to settle herself down on the bed. Lying down, Daniela curled into herself, breathing in the familiar scent of Lip eliciting that feeling of comfort again. It eased her. She continued to stay like that, eventually drifting off before the sounds of people trickling in downstairs woke her up.

With a yawn, Daniela sat up with her back resting against the wall so that her line of sight was bang on the door. Her arms pulled her knees up against her chest, holding them there as she heard footsteps approaching. She took a deep breath to help steady herself.

Lip soon came into view, pausing momentarily when he caught sight of her. A frown marred his features as he took in her body language; the hunched shoulders and reclusive nature immediately making him assume the worst.

"Hey," he began tentatively, stepping further into the room. Daniela kept silent. "Did something happen with your mom?"

"No," she shook her head shortly and pressed her lips together. "She's fine."

The boy sighed in relief but sensed that that wasn't what was bugging her. Plopping down in the chair placed in the corner of his room, he rested his elbows against his knees and waited for her to begin.

"Karen's back," stated Daniela, her voice even. Her eyes stayed glued to her socks and she wiggled her toes. Across the room, Lip's head dropped slightly.

"I heard."

She quirked an eyebrow, finally looking at him. "Oh, you-you heard?" Huffing a dry laugh, Daniela continued. "Ran into her at school today." She didn't miss the small shuffle from across the room. "She said she had already spoken to you but that was the first I'd heard of it."

Lip rubbed his hands together looking like he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Be honest with me, Lip. Because this makes me look like an idiot, and I am not an idiot."

"I know," nodded Lip, his voice quiet.

"Did you know she was back?" Asked Daniela even though it was an easy question. Again, Lip nodded but didn't say anything. Her next question was uttered much more quietly. "Did you have sex with her?"

Instantly, Lip's face changed as he looked at her, brows narrowed together in anger. "Don't you trust me?"

"Of course I trust you!" Daniela couldn't keep her own voice from rising too. "But when you keep things like this from me it makes it a bit difficult."

"I didn't think it was important!"

"Of course it's important!" She snapped, stopping Lip's rebuttal as she eyed him incredulously. "You're telling me that the girl who you may or may not be completely over just decided to waltz back into town and you don't care?"

At that, the boy's face shifted to one of utter confusion. "Who says I'm not over her?"

"The fact that you didn't tell me she's back proves that you were worried."

"Because I know how much shit Karen can stir up," he stressed before gesturing between the two of them. "Kind of like what she's doing right now."

Daniela was silent for a few moments before speaking.

"If you didn't care, you would've told me because you would know that there's no way Karen would come between us." Now Lip was the quiet one, all anger in his eyes dissipating as he shifted them to stare at his hands. "But that's just it isn't it? You don't trust yourself around her."

"That's not true," he refuted though there was hardly any conviction in it.

"Yes it is," stressed Daniela, feeling the urge to tear her hair out. "Just admit it! You still care about her."

Lip's eyes narrowed at her, the anger he felt beginning to rise once again. "I thought you said you trusted me."

"I do!"

"Then why are you making such a big deal out of this?"

"Because you're not!" Daniela's outburst was sudden and took each of them by surprise. She inhaled deeply, giving Lip a glimpse at the vulnerability underneath it all. She kept her attention on her fingernails, a frown etched into her features as her tone softened. "I need to know, that you're over Karen."

Meeting his eye, Daniela stared at him almost desperately. A silence overcame them, stretching on longer and longer and with each second, Daniela's hope began to shrivel. Unable to keep the eye contact, Lip shifted his attention to the wall, causing her to chuckle sadly.

"That's what I thought."

Rising from the bed, Daniela moved past him, noting that Lip made no attempt to stop her. It infuriated her even more. There was no denial, just acceptance and she wondered where they the two of them were going to go from here.

She was stood at the top of the stairs when she caught sight of Ian poking his head out of his room obviously having heard the raised voices. His eyes sought out hers, noticing the watery sheen to them.

As his mouth opened to speak, Daniela turned away, annoyed at him too for not telling her, and headed downstairs and out the door. Her vision began to blur and it wasn't until she was back in front of her own house that she noticed the stream of tears rolling down her face.

* * *

Le voila!

A lot of you suggested nursing for Daniela which is something I had had in mind for a long time and it just fits who she is as a person.

Let me know what you guys thought about it and about the other things like the change in dynamic with Mandy. Did you see it coming?

 _Special thanks to_ xenocanaan, RHatch89, Naruhina1519, SweetRiceball20, Onlineashley, xxTheChocoholic14xx, Maddprincess, guest, x NikiSt x, and NessieBooEvans for reviewing, the 30 people that followed, and the 15 people that favorited!

 **Thanks for the 200 reviews by the way, mwah!**

 **REVIEW!**


	32. Frank the Plumber Pt1

**Chapter 32.**

Happy Easter!

Because these next chapters are so important, I had to take as much time as possible planning it out so that everything's okay as we are now nearing the end of Season 3.

As you can see from the title, it's a two-parter with this one being the build up to the next.

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shameless.

* * *

Daniela tried to keep herself busy after that.

Over the course of the next few days, she avoided both Ian and Lip, choosing instead to finish off her final assignments or seek companionship with Simon and, therefore, Mandy.

The couple had since managed to sort out their differences and come to an agreement. Mandy's side of the deal was that she had to finish high school and then after she graduated, she would take up a course paid for by Simon while he finished his degree.

As well as that, Mandy would be able to stay in Simon's dorm on campus whenever she wanted though Simon really didn't have any objections to that.

Daniela was nearly in stitches when she saw the look on his face after turning up to his house and greeting Mandy politely, even engaging in light conversation with the other girl. Together they had almost sent the poor boy into cardiac arrest.

The whole thing was by no means easy. Mandy still enjoyed pushing Daniela's buttons and she was never too far behind with her own quick barbs. Each time it happened, Simon looked between them as if a bomb was about to go off.

Nevertheless, the two girls had reached an amicable ground that they silently began to enjoy though neither would admit such a thing.

It wasn't until the two of them strolled into school together that Daniela realized how much things had changed. She had always secretly harbored thoughts that the Milkovich really wasn't an awful person underneath her tough exterior; that she had managed to pick up back when Mandy had first started hanging out with her and Ian.

As the two of them made their way through the hallway, everything seemed normal- at least to them but to a couple of spectators such as Ian and Lip, however, it seemed as if the world had turned on its axis.

"Uh, did Hell just freeze over?" Muttered a seriously confused Ian to his brother who simply shook his head.

Across the corridor, Lip's eyes caught onto Karen who was already looking him up and down with a keen smirk. He didn't waste much time staring back, turning instead to watch Daniela make her way past beside Mandy Milkovich of all people.

Daniela could feel his eyes on her the whole time and each step past his locker seemed like a mission. She tried her hardest to ignore it but in the final second she couldn't help but glimpse at him over her shoulder.

Moving her gaze past him, it came to settle on Ian for a split second before she tore it away and continued walking. She hadn't spoken one word to him either.

However, that didn't last very long because the next morning he was knocking on her door.

Ian stood on her front porch looking guiltier than she had ever seen him look.

"I'm sorry," he said, taking another step towards her. "I should've told you about Karen. I was just trying to protect you."

Daniela twisted her mouth, a pang of sadness echoing in her chest as she surveyed her best friend. It didn't take her very long to cave.

"I understand why you did it." Ian's head raised from looking down at his hands to her. "But it was unnecessary."

He nodded. "I know that now."

In an instant, Daniela's arms were wrapped around him tightly and a ragged breath escaped her.

"Let's never do that again," she mumbled into his neck, feeling his body shake with laughter.

"Agreed." Pulling away, Ian kept hold of her forearms and leaned forward with a serious look. "You wanna tell me what the hell happened with you and Mandy?"

A smile tugged at her lips and she shrugged. "We worked things out."

"That's terrifying," responded Ian, his eyes widening a fraction. "Seriously." Daniela simply laughed it off.

/

The next day, she awoke to the delicious smell of waffles, bacon, and eggs all courtesy of her brother and realized that her birthday had come around once again.

"Eighteen," praised Jakob as he laid down a plate of waffles in front of her. "They grow up so fast."

"Don't start crying on me now," joked Daniela before stuffing a forkful of waffles into her mouth. Her brother grinned back, opting to watch her eat rather than join her.

The rest of the day was a quiet affair spent mostly in the hospital with her mother.

The highlight of the day, however, came when her phone rang. She hadn't been expecting much though the unknown number threw her off. But when she answered and the customary message played out for prison calls came through, she nearly burst into tears.

"Dad?"

"Hey, Dani." Her father's low timbre was enough to make her voice quiver.

"Dad…it's good to hear from you."

"Likewise, baby girl. I just wanted to call to wish you a happy birthday."

Daniela laughed softly. Normally she would hate such things but this one was okay. "Thanks."

"Eighteen, huh? Well damn. I just wish I could've been there to celebrate with you."

"That's okay," said Daniela, wiping away a tear. "Truthfully, there's not much celebrating going on. We're just all at the hospital with mom."

Her father grew quiet at that. "She okay?"

"Yeah, she's great actually. The doctors are surprised at how well she's doing."

"Good," approved Lawrence, his voice thick. "That's good to hear."

Another silence overtook them and Daniela knew the reason why. No doubt her father was thinking of what happened the last time she had seen him.

"Da-"

"Dani," Lawrence beat her to the punch and heaved a sigh. "About what happened-"

"You don't have to explain," she honestly assured him. She didn't want him beating himself up about how he had ended things. "I'm just glad to hear from you again."

/

When Daniela walked into school the next day with Mandy and Ian, she felt deflated. This strain on her relationship with Lip was starting to increase and its effects were showing. She supposed that the silver lining in all of it was that this would be her last day of high school.

She just wished he could be there to help her celebrate.

As she contemplated this, Daniela heard Ian mumble something beside her and glanced up to see none other than Lip himself advancing towards her. Her throat bobbed with a gulp, the angle of her spine hitting an 180.

However, the closer he got to her, the more Daniela noticed the pissed off expression and clenched fists and glanced over her shoulder to see if it was directed towards someone else.

Nope. That was all for her.

For some reason, she didn't feel very flattered.

"What the fuck is this?" He demanded harshly, waving something in her face too fast for her to make out what it was.

Daniela frowned, trying to get a better look at it. "I don't-"

"You enrolled in colleges for me?" That caused her mouth to clamp shut. Now she understood.

Her face must have been indication enough because the next thing Lip did was inhale sharply, shaking his head at her.

It was also at this point that Karen decided to breeze past, slowing to a stop when she saw the couple in a tense encounter in the middle of the hallway. Not hiding her wide smile for Lip, Karen managed to stop whatever they were about to say.

Daniela's hands bunched up into tight fists at her side as she watched Karen bat her eyelashes at her boyfriend.

"Everything okay?" She asked sweetly causing Daniela to scoff. Karen frowned dubiously. "What?"

" _Walk_ the fuck _away_."

Daniela frowned, the words having been stolen from her mouth. Turning her head, she stared at Mandy who was too busy glaring at Karen to notice her shocked expression.

A small smile fell on her face as she focused her attention and dislike towards the blonde who was now eyeing the two reproachfully alongside Lip who looked equally as confused.

Raising her eyebrows a little, Karen raised her hands in surrender, backing off but not before shooting Lip another smile to which he simply ignored. Still, Daniela wanted to wring her neck for it. She had often taken pride in the fact that she never chose violence as the answer unless absolutely necessary but this girl was seriously testing her patience.

Once Karen was completely gone, Daniela looked at Lip who was running his tongue over his bottom lip in what seemed to be frustration.

"I didn't do it," she claimed, trying her hardest to not sound weak or guilty.

Lip's eyes turned icy, rocking her for a second. She hadn't seen that from him since back in the day when they hated each other. The boy's shoulders shook with a dry chuckle as he glared down at her.

"Right, so some rep from MIT is showing up at my place today for no reason, huh?"

Daniela paused. A rep? That meant that they saw something they liked.

Despite the fragile situation she was currently in, Daniela couldn't help the small smile but it vanished almost as soon as it appeared when she saw Lip's peeved expression.

"Look," she sighed in resignation. It was enough to make Lip turn his head away from her and wipe a thumb over his nose in frustration. "All I did was get those letters of recommendation from your teachers." Lip scoffed causing Daniela to crane her neck forward to try and regain his attention. "But I didn't sign any applications. I gave the letters to Healey and I guess he took care of the rest."

"So you two went behind my back?"

"Well, when you put it that way it sounds like we were plotting against you."

"Weren't you?" Pressed Lip, voice laced with a betrayal that threw her off guard.

She narrowed her eyes at him, feeling her own anger begin to rise. "We did it because we care about your future- unlike you."

"Yeah, well it's not your decision whether or not I go to college."

"You know for a genius, you really are stupid."

"I don't need the lecture," drawled Lip, waving a hand at her in dismissal before turning to walk away.

"No. You're gonna get it." Daniela slapped the hand away before running to cut him off. Lip's eyes went skywards before he pressed his lips and stared down at her. Meanwhile, Ian and Mandy stood by watching the whole thing with keen interest.

Lowering her voice so that their peers wouldn't be privy to their personal problems, Daniela moved closer. "I don't understand why you're so against college. I know you don't wanna be the golden goose and you don't have to be. But at _least_ do this for yourself."

Lip's jaw sat clenched tightly as he narrowed his eyes at her. "Stop making decisions for me. I can do it myself."

"Oh really?" Daniela laughed outright. "Because that's going so fan-fucking-tastic isn't it?"

Looking to be on the verge of severely lashing out, Lip clenched his fists. "You know what? Fuck this." Side-stepping her, he was met with no resistance as he continued on his way to class.

Daniela was steaming and she felt a serious urge to stomp her foot like a petulant child but resisted, not wanting to embarrass herself even more in front of the school, not that they were really paying attention.

Instead, she simply brushed the hair out of her face and raised her chin before marching off to class, leaving behind Ian and Mandy who shared a look before following.

/

"You did the right thing you know," said Mandy during lunch. "With the college applications."

Daniela quirked an eyebrow. "Did I?" She didn't feel like she had.

"Lip's just being a stubborn asshole."

"Lip wouldn't be Lip if he acted otherwise," scoffed Daniela, eyeing her untouched lunch with a pout. Her entire appetite had disappeared which was a travesty in itself. "I should've talked to him about it first."

Beside her, Mandy snorted. "Like that would've gotten you anywhere. No, you did the right thing. He'll thank you for it later."

"Yeah, maybe." Daniela had a hard time believing that.

Sighing, her eyes caught onto Ian who was also sitting with them though you wouldn't have noticed considering how quiet he was being. Something had changed between that morning and lunchtime and it had Daniela worried. Whatever it was had Ian off in his own world.

Frowning, she nudged Mandy before cocking her head at the boy. Catching onto it, Mandy simply shrugged, none the wiser to why he was acting strange and Daniela made a mental note to ask him about it later.

Tilting her head back, she groaned up at the sky. "God, I thought your last day of school was supposed to be fun."

This was not the way she had planned on going out. Not at all. The edge of Mandy's mouth quirked up a little and even Ian managed a small chuckle.

/

"So you're officially done?" Asked Ian as they made their way home from school.

He had remained quiet for the majority of the day so Daniela was surprised when he actually spoke. She had been planning on letting him stew over his thoughts before asking about it herself.

Nodding, Daniela made a small noise of affirmation. "Uh-huh. I just need to wait a couple days and then go pick up my diploma." There was no hiding the happiness in which she had said it. Not even the crap with Lip was going to ruin this moment for her.

It seemed, however, that Ian had reverted back into silence. Glancing over at him, Daniela watched in worry as he monotonously made his way home.

"You wanna talk about it?" She figured there was no point asking if he was okay considering it was very obvious that he wasn't. Her question showed little effect and she wasn't even sure he had heard her until, after a few long minutes, he released a breath.

"Mickey's getting married."

Daniela wasn't exactly sure how to respond to that. Seeing this, Ian nodded emphatically.

"Yeah. To some Russian whore."

She blinked and shook her head once. "Wait, like a whore-whore or a whore just because she's marrying Mickey?"

"A prostitute," clarified Ian, sounding none too pleased about the whole thing. Daniela, on the other hand, was still reeling from the news.

"Woah. When did that happen?"

Ian shoved his hands further into his pockets and she had no doubts that they were balled up into tight fists to fight off the frustration he was feeling.

"Mandy said it's because she's knocked up."

"Yeah, but you said so yourself, she's a hooker. Who knows how many guys she's been with? Surely Mickey's not the only possibility."

"His dad's forcing it."

Daniela frowned, tossing him a confused sideways glance. "Why would he do that? Ignoring the fact that he's a total fucking asshole."

Ian didn't miss a beat. "Because he caught me and Mickey together."

Her feet stopped and Ian sighed once again, having expected this reaction.

"What the fuck? _When_ the fuck?"

Suddenly, Ian couldn't help himself and the words were just spewing out of him.

He told her about the day he had stayed at Mickey's house, back when DFS had taken them away- back when things between her and Lip were good and normal. About how his father had come home earlier than expected from a trip and caught the two of them together.

But the part that affected her the most was when he told her about what Terry made him and Mickey, the whole thing managing to make her feel sick to her stomach.

"Those cuts and bruises…" surmised Daniela, voice low and filled with revulsion. The very same cuts and bruises her friend had written off as being from the boys at the group home. "They were from him?"

Ian nodded, managing to hide his slight flinch at the reminder of the pain as he began to walk ahead of her. Behind him, Daniela's jaw clenched as she reached out to stop him. It worked.

His eyes were glued to the ground and she could see the determination in his jaw. The determination to hold everything in.

In an instant, her arms surrounded him with Ian's own soon coming to wrap around her frame tightly.

"I'm so sorry, Ian," she murmured against his cheek, feeling his shoulders shake and her own face tightened in pain for her friend. "I'm so sorry." She continued to repeat, unable to stop the anger at herself for not realizing something was up sooner.

Eventually, they continued on their way in a more comfortable silence. When they reached his house, Daniela felt a sadness at leaving her friend. She stared up at the place, pulling the inside of her cheek between her teeth.

Seeing this, Ian nudged her arm with his own. "You wanna come inside?"

She shook her head. No doubt Lip would already be home and most likely still pissed at her.

Unfortunately for her, Ian wasn't willing to accept her meek answer and rolled his eyes before grabbing her hand and hauling her up the back stairs.

"No, no, no, Ian!" She tried, shaking her head desperately whilst trying to wrestle her hand from his grip but that damn ROTC training put his strength way above her own meaning that she simply had to suck it up and go with him.

"Sorry, Ella but there's only one way this is gonna be settled and that's by the two of you talking to each other." Ian twisted open the door before hauling her behind him into the kitchen.

They both paused when they saw Lip standing there, a beer in his hand, eyes locked onto Daniela. Her eyes dropped to the floor, missing his eyebrows pinching together. Finally letting go of her, Ian shared a silent look with his brother before jogging up the stairs and reappearing not too long later without his bag.

Dropping a kiss on Daniela's forehead, he opened the door again.

She stepped towards him quickly, feeling like a child about to be stranded. "Where are you going?"

Ian stopped to give her a half-smile though it was hardly happy.

"To talk." Catching the hidden meaning in his words, Daniela simply nodded, watching him close the door behind him.

Once Ian was gone, there was no excuse for her to not talk to Lip. Still, she couldn't really work up the courage to turn and face him head on.

Despite this, she did it anyway, pivoting on her foot slowly so that she could meet his eyes. When she did, she was expecting to see anger and betrayal but got neither.

In fact, Lip almost looked amused.

"What?" She asked immediately, a bite to her voice that had him grinning even wider.

"The um- the college applications that Healey turned in," he began to explain with amusement. "He plagiarized Nelson Mandela."

Daniela's brow furrowed even more. "He what?"

"Yeah," Lip laughed and took a long swig of his beer, unable to comprehend it either. "Copied straight from the internet."

Just at the sight of him smiling and laughing, Daniela's own mouth quirked up before she pressed her lips together to hide it. Taking a few steps forward, she dropped her bag on a nearby chair.

"I guess he did it on purpose. To get their attention."

"Yeah, I guess so," agreed Lip, surprising her once again. "It was smart. They knew it didn't fit considering I got a 4.6."

Things between the pair fell silent once more and each struggled to find something to say to end it. It was the first time in a week that they had actually spoken to each other in a way that felt reminiscent of how things usually were.

Daniela twiddled her thumbs, teeth biting into her cheek.

"So," she said, breaking the silence. "How did the interview go?"

Lip took another long skull before smacking his lips together and shrugging. "It was alright."

The vagueness of his answer caused her to raise an eyebrow at him in curiosity. "Alright?"

Lip simply nodded, not offering anything more and she sighed, feeling them slip back into that fractured state. Daniela knew that what Ian had said was right and that the only way they were going to fix this was by talking about it. It seemed that she would have to be the one to kick-start things.

Swallowing, she made her way around the counter to stand in front of him, Lip's eyes following her the whole time.

"I'm sorry. I should have told you about the applications."

Lip tilted his head. "You shouldn't have done it, period."

Daniela's jaw clicked and her eyes narrowed dangerously into slits. Here she was trying to fix things and he wasn't being any help at all.

"You know what? I take it back, I'm not sorry." She moved closer, voice full of conviction and growing more heated as she continued. "I'm not sorry that I actually give a shit. I'm not sorry for thinking that you're better than this shithole of a neighborhood. I'm not sorry, that I used most of my pay to help send those application forms in and I'm definitely not sorry for what I did because I did it all for you. So you might actually want to show a bit more gratitude."

All throughout her rant, Daniela failed to see the look in Lip's eyes shift the more she spoke. It wasn't until she was finished, chest heaving for oxygen, that she was truly able to see the intensity mirroring the fire in her own.

Another thing she had failed to notice was how close she had actually gotten. Lip's eyes roamed over her face, almost stunned but still, he said nothing.

Suddenly, his hands were at the back of her neck and her mouth was being tugged up to meet his in a heated kiss. Daniela moaned into his mouth, grabbing at his shirt to swallow up whatever space was left between them.

Their hands clawed at each other desperately and it wasn't long before Lip was backing her up towards the stairs, hands already working to remove her clothes. By the time they reached his bedroom, all but her underwear was gone and it isn't much longer before they were quickly discarded too.

"Thank you," groaned Lip into her ear as he pumped inside of her. Daniela's fingernails dug into his back, no doubt leaving marks as she writhed beneath him. As they continued, she could feel herself nearing her peak and figured that he must have been as well judging by the fact that his thrusts were starting to pick up speed.

With one final thrust, the two of them spilled over the edge together. Daniela whimpered, the feeling of him reminding her of how much she had been missing him. Both of their chests heaved as Lip leaned down, his chest glistening with sweat.

"Thank you," he murmured once more- softly this time- before brushing a kiss over her forehead.

/

"Why did you pick MIT?" Asked Lip a little while later. Daniela was laid down beside him, staring at him propped up on his elbow, chest bare for her own viewing pleasure.

Her fingers reached out to trace the triangle on his chest and shrugged. "I knew it would be the best place for you to go." Her eyes shifted from the tattoo to meet his stare. "You deserve to get out of here and make something of yourself. If- in any way- I could help you do that, I would. Me going with you is just a bonus."

Lip's eyebrows raised at that. "Going _with_ me?"

Daniela twisted her mouth, nodding slightly as her finger continued tracing. "I applied at a few colleges and there are a couple in Boston with a pretty great nursing program."

"I didn't know you wanted to be a nurse," frowned Lip, his voice barely above a whisper.

Daniela liked this. Just the two of them being together enjoying each other's company. This was their time to drop any other pretenses and just be themselves.

"It was a recent development. Healey's been helping me out with it all."

"Well aren't you two close," joked Lip though his intentions were hardly malicious. Nevertheless, Daniela whacked his arm lightly.

"We had good intentions. We just…executed it poorly."

Lip was quiet for a few moments before heaving a sigh. "Well, it was a nice thought but I hate Boston. Red Sox suck."

Laughing, Daniela pushed herself up, the thin sheet falling as she lifted her hand to his chin, angling it down towards her. "Maybe I could help make the experience a bit more enjoyable."

Their mouths met for a chaste kiss that lingered before Lip inevitably pulled away to frown at her.

"Why would you do all of that?" Daniela stared up at him with confusion causing him to elaborate. "I mean, why go to all this trouble?"

Daniela shrugged, a warmth in her stomach growing at seeing the genuine confusion and gratitude on his face. Biting her lip, she conjured up some confidence out of thin air, hoping it would be enough to get her through what she was about to say next.

Lip watched her intently as her finger stopped it's tracing.

"My mom used to say that trusting someone meant more than loving them. Because you could love someone but you may not trust them if you're constantly afraid that they'll do something to ruin what you have."

Taking a deep breath, Daniela met his gaze. "I trust you, Lip." Her hand shifted to the side of his face and she leaned forward to stress what she was saying. "I need you to know that, and I need you to know how big that is for me to admit."

Feeling like she was at her most vulnerable, Daniela's eyes roamed his face searching for a reaction but instead was met with Lip pressing a kiss to her lips. Pulling away, he shifted so that he was laying down and brought her head to rest against his chest, his own hand coming to stroke her hair.

Releasing the breath she had been holding, Daniela settled in beside him, feeling the familiar tug in her chest. To her, this was comfort. To her, this was home and Daniela knew in that moment that she was already too far gone.

* * *

There you have it, she finally said it… sort of. I've really been enjoying this blossoming friendship between Mandy and Daniela so their interactions are always fun to write. Also, sweet moments with Ian, yay!

Let me know what you thought!

 _Special thanks_ to Volleyball Babe22, Isabeaux3, ebonbon, Naruhina1519, x NikiSt x, xenocanaan, youthed, RHatch39, and Raging Raven for reviewing, the 34 people that followed and the 30 that favorited!

 **REVIEW!**


	33. Frank the Plumber Pt2

**Chapter 33.**

It's not a very long update but I didn't want to put it with the last one as it would've been too much in one go.

If there were ever a chapter where I'd want to hear your thoughts, it would be this one.

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shameless.

* * *

When Daniela woke a couple hours later, Lip was gone. Her nap had been well needed but as per usual, it left her feeling groggy and disoriented. She smacked her lips together, grimacing at the odd taste leftover from her short sleep.

She contemplated just staying in bed and waiting for Lip to get back but then remembered that she was supposed to head over to the hospital to visit her mother who was about to begin some more testing and scans to gather information about how she was doing.

Groaning, Daniela feebly rolled across the bed before hauling herself up into a sitting position to look for her discarded clothing. Thankfully, Lip had been kind enough to track them down for her before leaving them at the end of the bed.

As she pulled on her shirt, she couldn't help the small smile from lighting up her face. There had certainly been trepidation at the idea of telling Lip how she felt but now that it was out in the open, Daniela was glad she had done it. She had been unsure of Lip's reaction but so far so good.

Truthfully, she was just glad everything was back to normal between them.

Not bothering to stop by herself first, Daniela made her way towards the L all the while smiling so hard she was sure she looked absolutely crazy to anyone passing her.

Arriving at the steps to the platform, Daniela was ready to make her way up when she heard a voice that managed to set her teeth on edge.

"Daniela!" Turning, the girl saw Karen waving to her from across the street that she had just crossed.

As Daniela watched her make her way towards her, she seriously considered just leaving but then decided against it. Despite Karen's obvious dislike towards her and her nefarious schemes, she was still willing to act civil and be the bigger person in this situation.

"Just the person I was looking for," beamed Karen, stuffing her hands into the pockets of her hot pink hoodie.

Daniela tilted her head eyeing her with exhaustion. "If this is about Lip, forget it. We already fixed things."

"Oh but I think you'll wanna hear this."

Daniela's curiosity piqued and Karen's mouth quirked when she saw she had managed to hook her.

"I just wanted to thank you for applying to all of those colleges for Lip."

Daniela instantly frowned. "How did you-?"

"Oh, he told me about it afterward." Karen's nonchalance caused Daniela to stiffen. "Yeah, he was so worked up about it. But I guess it's not all bad, right? I was getting pretty tired of this place."

Daniela's resounding question was weak and mumbled. "What does that have to do with Lip getting into college?"

"I was thinking he could take me along with him. I mean, all I have to do is poke a hole in a condom and he'll follow me for life. We learned that the last time."

Suddenly realizing, Daniela's lips parted before her jaw clamped them shut tightly.

"What did you do?" She asked, voice deathly low and strained.

Karen's smirk widened, inferring nothing but trouble. "Hold on. Lip's the one that came to me."

"Lip?"

Karen nodded and began listing it off on her fingers. "Yeah, that night after you guys had a fight, twice on Sunday, today at lunch- like I said before, he was very worked up."

Daniela's vision blurred. It also didn't escape her that Sunday just so happened to be her birthday.

Before she could even register it, her fist was out, hitting Karen right across the face. The blonde staggered back with a cry, her hands coming up to cradle her face.

Daniela's eyes widened a fraction, her gaze dropping to her knuckles before lifting to frown at Karen in a mix of confusion and hurt.

"What the fuck did I ever do to you?"

Karen scowled up at her from her hunched over position. "Oh come on, Ella." Her use of the other girl's nickname causes a cold shiver to run down her spine. "Surely you must've seen this coming."

Daniela sucked on her teeth, rolling her tongue in between her lips.

"Fuck you."

Karen's smug smirk made a reappearance. "Sorry, your boyfriend already did."

For a long moment, Daniela continued to stand there, fists clenched tightly. Above her, she heard the sounds of the train pulling in and with one last glance at Karen, she turned and rushed up the stairs. Just as quickly as she reached the platform, Daniela hopped onto the train.

As it began to take off, she had to grab onto the rail to stop herself from falling but it was equal parts the motion of it taking off and the crumbling revelation that Karen had just dropped on her.

Her legs felt like jelly and Daniela was forced to have to lean her forehead against the cool metal, not even caring about how unsanitary it probably was. The cold was a pleasant help but she found that she had to clench her teeth when the burning in her nose became too intense.

Daniela promised herself she wouldn't cry. Certainly not while she was stood on the train. But she also wouldn't cry because if she did, then that meant Karen had succeeded.

/

The buzzing of her phone was faintly registered as Daniela made her way up the elevator to her mother's level. The whole journey to the hospital had been tainted by Daniela's incessantly nagging thoughts. She wasn't sure what she was going to do now and if Lip was the one calling her, she wasn't sure how she was going to react to it.

Working up the courage, Daniela finally lifted the phone out of her back pocket to check the caller ID. Her stomach sunk when her fears were confirmed.

Lip's name bore up at her, almost taunting her as her mind raced back to earlier that afternoon when she had been brave enough to pour her heart out to him. How stupid she had been.

Karen was right. She should've seen this coming.

Her teeth pulled on the inside of her cheek as her mouth pursed down at the screen of her phone. She couldn't talk to him. Not right now. Not after what she had learned. Without a second thought, Daniela declined the call and slipped the phone back into her pocket before trying to shake it off.

She had managed to keep a tight hold over her emotions ever since getting on the train but as Daniela came to stand in the doorway of her mother's room, she felt that restraint wavering and knew it wouldn't be long before the dam would burst.

As she drew nearer to the bed, Daniela saw that her mother was just beginning to wake up and held her breath, anxious to see how she would be. Camille's eyes blinked open blearily, catching onto her surroundings before finally narrowing in on her daughter who was stood silently at her bedside looking absolutely broken despite her best attempts to shield it from her mother.

"Mom…" In that single syllable alone, Camille felt everything. Her daughter looked to be on the very brink of tears that worsened, even more, when the woman raised a hand, beckoning her towards the bed.

Daniela didn't hesitate, collapsing on the bed with a sniffle. Wiping her nose with the back of her thumb, she was soon encased in her mother's arms who pulled her into her chest. It was only then that Daniela let it out.

She wasn't sure how long she cried for. Her shoulders shook and her chest heaved for what seemed like hours as her mother simply welcomed her into her embrace, stroking her hair soothingly like she often would whenever Daniela was ever having a particularly rough day.

Eventually, her sobs began to simmer, reducing the noise in the room to only the sound of her mother's oxygen mask and her intermittent hiccups. When she was sure that she was fresh out of tears, Daniela sniffed once again before slowly bringing herself back up into a sitting position. Her hand ran along her nose, wiping away at the snot that had built up.

Camille eyed her woefully as her hand came to rest on her daughter's cheek, her thumb stroking the soft skin comfortingly. Daniela dropped her head, her face leaning into her mother's palm.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, her voice thick with residual tears. Using her thumb, the girl wiped at her face before heaving a deep sigh. Camille simply shook her head, finding it silly that her daughter found the need to apologize.

"How are you feeling?" Asked Daniela, shifting herself so that her hand was now holding onto her mother's. She didn't want to spend any more time focusing on her own problems. Right now, the only thing that Daniela wanted to think about was her mother.

Camille tilted her free hand back and forth, signaling that she was feeling alright. It was good enough for Daniela and she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Is there anything you need? I can go get it. Water, maybe?"

Camille nodded, her eyes closing momentarily as she took a particularly sharp intake of breath that almost sent Daniela into cardiac arrest. Squeezing her mother's hand, she rose from the bed.

"I'll go get that water."

Stepping out of the room, Daniela raked a hand through her hair before her fingers got caught in a knot. Grimacing painfully, she untangled the threads of hair as her feet carried her further down the hallway to where the water cooler was.

Blowing out a breath, she reached for one of the plastic cups before filling it up. The water trickled out slowly, managing to frustrate her with its agonizing pace. With a cup full of water, Daniela pivoted on her foot and made her way back to the room when a sharp beeping cut into the silence.

As she made her way around the corner, her eyes narrowed seeing nurses rushing in and out of one of the rooms. Daniela's flicked between all of them before the dread finally settled in. That was her mother's room.

All thinking thrown out the window, her feet moved swiftly to where the nurses were cramming around. Using her elbows, she wrestled her way into the room, coming to an abrupt stop when she saw her mother's bed completely reclined as the beeping she had heard now pounded in her ears.

"What's going on?" She asked, inching closer. She could barely see a thing as there were nurses and a doctor surrounding the bed already, blocking her view. "What's happening?" Tried Daniela again, managing to catch the attention of one of the nurses.

The woman moved towards her, preventing her from getting any closer. "Miss, we're going to need you to step out of the room."

Daniela's eyes clenched shut for a moment. Those were the dreaded words that carried nothing good.

She couldn't move. Her feet were rooted to the spot.

"Why?" She hated how weak she sounded. With a thin mouth, the nurse placed a gentle hand on her arm and began urging her out of the room. Daniela wanted to swat it away but found that she couldn't. She didn't even register her feet beginning to move, her attention glued to the form of her mother.

From the bed, she heard a doctor speak up, his voice filled with urgency. "We need to get her to an OR, stat."

"OR?" Daniela's wide eyes whipped to the nurse. "B-but she was fine. She was okay a few minutes ago." Her voice cracked as she desperately tried to explain it to the nurse. "I-I just went to get her some water. But she was fine."

The woman sighed sadly, no doubt pitying the young girl. "You'll have to wait out here. We've already contacted your brother." Daniela met her eyes. Jakob. He had completely slipped her mind. "He's on his way."

With a final squeeze of her shoulder, the nurse left her, heading back into ready Camille for transportation. Daniela stood there, her hand gripping the plastic cup still miraculously full of water. A few moments later, she saw her mother's bed being rolled out of the room.

Her chest beating loudly in her chest, Daniela made her way after them, her hand reaching out to grab her mother's but it slipped out just as their fingers brushed. Stifling a cry, her eyes managed to catch a quick glimpse at the woman. Her eyes were closed and she looked to be barely hanging on.

Daniela hoped she was wrong.

Her teeth clenched tightly as she lost her footing, stumbling back into the wall. Sliding down it, her hands gripped her hair, elbows resting on her propped up knees.

"She was okay," she muttered in a mantra. "She was fine. She was okay. She's gonna be okay."

/

That was how Jakob found her nearly twenty minutes later.

She hadn't even realized the arrival of her brother, too caught up in her own murmurs, until he crouched down in front of her and had to physically pull her head up to look at him. His eyes had flicked over her face, seeing a blankness there that filled him with fear.

"Dani?" He whispered, trying to keep her attention. The girl blinked a couple of times before her eyes finally focused.

"Jake?"

"Yeah," he nodded, hating to see his sister so broken. He had no idea what she had just experienced. His sister was a warm, caring soul that couldn't bear to deal with this kind of pain so the thought of her seeing their mother decline so rapidly had no doubt impacted her in ways he wouldn't be able to understand.

"She was okay," said Daniela, her voice barely a whisper. Jakob had to lean forward to catch what she said. "She was awake. I was-" She didn't feel like telling him about Lip. Not right now. "I went to get her some water…" At the mere mention of it, her eyes glazed over as she fell into her memories.

Jakob pressed his lips together and brought his hands to rest on the sides of her face. "It's okay. She's gonna be fine."

At that, Daniela's lip quivered and her head fell forward with a sob. "I don't think she will be."

Shushing her, Jakob leaned forward, wrapping his arms around his sister as she cried into his shoulder.

"You didn't see her, Jake. When they were wheeling her out…she looked like she was already gone."

Her shoulders shook once again as Daniela buried her head in Jakob's shoulder. Her brother held onto her tightly, his strong arms helping to calm her. But amongst all of this, there was another person Daniela wished she could have there with her to help ease her. That option didn't seem very viable now.

When she managed to settle down, Jakob led her to the waiting area where they sat until well past midnight. It wasn't long until Katherine joined them, her heart breaking for the two of them.

Meanwhile, Daniela's phone continued to go off, the calls from Lip piling up. She knew he was getting suspicious of her not returning her calls but at the moment, she didn't give a damn. He had done much worse to her. She also didn't miss the looks her brother was giving her when she finally decided to just switch off her phone, no doubt catching the caller ID of the person she was ignoring.

A yawn ripped through her throat which she hid behind her hand, the other caught in the grip of her brother. Daniela eyed it, noticing how limp her own hold was before she saw Jakob's head jerk up. Her own eyes followed him, latching onto the approaching figure of a doctor dressed in scrubs.

They rose from their seats instantly with Katherine not too far behind.

"You're Camille Kaufman's family?" Asked the doctor though the relation was obvious.

Nevertheless, Jakob nodded. "Yes. How is she?"

A beat passed where the doctor said nothing. Daniela's eyes clenched shut, already knowing what he was going to say.

"I'm sorry but the surgery wasn't successful." It was if the world had suddenly stopped. Jakob's grip on her hand tightened as his eyes looked skywards. Beside him, Katherine grabbed his arm in support. "The cancer managed to spread to her brain, there was nothing more we could do."

"She's dead." It wasn't a question. All eyes fell to Daniela who kept her stare directly on the man addressing them. Mouth pressed, the doctor nodded solemnly.

"I'm sorry. We've put her on a respiratory machine but it's the only thing keeping her alive right now." The man turned his attention to Jakob. "A nurse will be with you soon to discuss the rest. I'm sorry again." Bowing his head respectfully, the man left them behind.

Jakob inhaled sharply and brought a hand up to wipe his mouth. Daniela, on the other hand, didn't know what to do. Vaguely, she felt her brother's arm wrapping around her but it was swallowed up by the sudden feeling of claustrophobia.

All she could feel was a weight pressing down on her chest, restricting her breathing. She had to get out. She had to breathe.

In a second, Daniela had managed to throw off Jakob's arm, her legs carrying her away from them and desperately towards the nearest exit. She didn't even realize she was running.

Behind her, her ears caught onto Jakob calling her name but she ignored him, the need for oxygen becoming too big.

Daniela crashed through the doors of the hospital out into the chilly air. Running her hands through her hair, her lungs gasped for breath, relishing in the cold fresh air. She spun in a circle, eyes flicking around her surroundings as her mind ran a thousand miles a second.

Suddenly, everything was invading her mind. Her confession to Lip, the trust she had bestowed upon him which was later crushed by a merciless Karen. Her mother…

It was all too much. She had to get away. She had to keep running.

So she did.

* * *

 **Please** like I said in the beginning, I'd really love to hear your thoughts as this is the chapter I was looking forward to writing the most. Does that make me a bad person? Probably.

 _Special thanks to_ Raging Raven, RHatch89, Guest, youthed, Guest (2), xenocanaan, and Naruhina1519 for reviewing, the 15 who followed and the 9 who favorited!

 **REVIEW!**


	34. Civil Wrongs

**Chapter 34.**

This takes the cake as the longest chapter I've ever written.

You people…wow. Just, wow. Thank you so much for all of the comments left on the last chapter. I honestly hadn't been expecting that many but waking up to see all of your beautiful messages really put a smile on my face and I'm sorry this took so long, blame school.

Also, there a time-stamps for this chapter just to help avoid confusion.

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shameless.

* * *

 **6:03am**

Daniela wasn't sure how long she had run for. All she knew was for that period of time, she was able to forget everything.

Her phone was still switched off meaning that any calls or texts (which there were sure to be plenty of) went unanswered. A significant part of her felt guilty for further burdening her brother but the part of her that wanted everything to quieten down won out.

She debated whether or not to go back to the hospital and to Jakob. She had started the trek back sometime before the sun was set to rise when she realized she was crossing the bridge her and Lip had walked across the night that Karen had had her baby.

Daniela slowed to stop as a single car moved past her. Grimly, she turned her focus out onto the cityscape with the Chicago river glistening below her. In measured footsteps, she inched closer to the barrier, her hand coming to grip the cool metal.

Like a switch, her mind replayed the memories over and over again in her brain.

 _"I just needed a place to stay."_

 _"Like with me?"_

 _"No." He had said to her as if the thought offended him. "You're different."_

Daniela closed her eyes and inhaled deeply through her nose, the fresh air stinging her nostrils. Her hands burrowed into the pockets of her thin jacket that did little to protect her from the chill.

The days were getting colder now and the air had a bite to it that rattled her bones. Though, the wind wasn't the only factor. If she had have known she was going to have a mental breakdown, she would've brought a warmer coat.

Opening her eyes, Daniela watched the color of the clouds change as the first rays of sun began to break the horizon. It was beautiful. She stood, watching in silent awe as the sun rose.

Now she had to go back.

 _I don't want to go back._

So she didn't.

/

 **2:40pm**

Later that afternoon, Ian and Lip arrived home from school with Mandy tagging along behind them. As they entered the kitchen, the boys slowed to a stop when they saw Fiona with her back to them, talking to someone on the phone. Judging by her tone, it seemed pretty serious.

Fiona nodded to whatever was being said on the other end of the line. "As far as I'm concerned, she hasn't been around here."

Ian looked at his brother who was already staring back and they both shared a frown before turning back to Fiona.

"Of course. Ian and Lip should be home any minute," she said, sounding distressed. It worried the brothers who had no idea what was going on. "I'll let you know if we hear anything." The woman nodded once more. "Okay, bye."

Hanging up, Fiona pivoted on her foot, her hand coming to rake over her face. She looked exhausted. Whatever she had been discussing seemed to be weighing on her mind and both Ian and Lip were curious to find out what it was.

The woman opened her eyes, becoming startled when she saw the three teens standing there watching her.

"Oh, hey guys," she greeted though it was devoid of any chipperness. Lip unhiked the strap of his bag and dropped it by the table before making his way to the fridge.

"Who was that?" He asked, cracking open the bottle of orange juice and pouring himself a glass.

Fiona heaved a deep sigh while raking a hand through her hair. " _That_ was Daniela's brother."

Ian frowned. "Jakob? What did he want?"

Lip, also wondering, turned to watch as his sister pressed her lips together, signaling that it was nothing good.

"Their mother passed away last night." Instantly, the brothers were alert.

Lip's mouth parted in surprise. Now it made sense why she had been dodging his calls. He clenched his jaw at the thought of the pain she was no doubt going through right now. A part of him wanted to be there with her to help.

Ian swore under his breath as Fiona continued to tell them what Jakob had disclosed to her. "Daniela didn't take the news very well and took off. He hasn't heard from her since."

"What?" Questioned Lip, putting his glass down before stalking over to Fiona, his brows raised seriously. "She's missing?"

Fiona nodded. "Jakob said she ran out of the hospital early this morning. Said it was something like a panic attack. He's tried calling her cell but she won't pick up."

Behind them, Ian shared a concerned look with Mandy who had been quiet the whole time. Ian was just as worried as his brother and his heart went out to his best friend.

"Does he have any idea where she might've gone?"

Fiona shook her head, none the wiser. "I have no idea."

"Well we gotta fucking find her," said Lip, pacing back and forth in the kitchen. His body filled with restless energy just waiting to be used.

"And we will," assured his sister as she tried to diffuse the situation from escalating even further. "Her brother's calling in some contacts from work but I think what we all need to do right now is stay calm."

Lip scoffed outright, tossing his sister a look of warning. "Fiona, I love you but don't tell me to be fucking calm right now."

"We'll find her, Lip," said Ian. "We just need a clear head."

"A clear head?" Lip came to a stop to narrow his eyes at Ian. "Ella is out there right now, all alone. Who knows what the fuck is going through her head?"

Sucking his teeth, the boy shook his head before marching forward and grabbing his coat from the chair he had left it on.

"Woah, where are you going?"

Lip paused as his hand rested on the doorknob. With a face full of determination, he glanced over his shoulder at Fiona.

"To look for my girlfriend."

The door slammed behind him, causing the woman to startle slightly. Sighing, she placed a hand on her hip before turning her attention to the other two still stood in the kitchen.

Ian and Mandy looked just as eager to follow Lip's lead, each wanting to find Daniela. The boy met his friend's stare and with a silent nod, they both came to the same conclusion and headed out too.

/

 **4:50pm**

Lip's search was nearing the two-hour mark and so far, he had nothing to show for it and he resisted the urge to tear his hair out. He had ridden the L around the whole city, checked near the hospital, and any other little places he figured she would disappear to but nothing.

Despite knowing the effort was futile, he called her cell one last time and held it up to his ear, wishing for a miracle.

 _"The person you are trying to contact is not available right now."_

"Damn it," he hissed, ending the call. She had switched her phone off.

Closing his eyes, Lip pinched the bridge of his nose and inhaled. He hadn't been expecting the day to be so stressful. He had actually been excited at the fact that for the first time in a while, things with him and Daniela were great.

He couldn't help his own anger at how careless she was being. Didn't she know how much grief she was putting the rest of them through?

Sighing, Lip shook away those thoughts and instead pulled up the contacts in his phone, scrolling to find the one name he never called. He truly wasn't even sure why he had the guy's information but he figured it could come in handy one day.

He hoped that day was today.

The click of the other line picking up sounded out in Lip's ear followed by the confused greeting.

" _Hey, Lip._ " Even over the phone, Lip could see the other boy shuffling nervously on his feet. " _Did you mean to call or was that an accident?_ "

"No, no. It wasn't an accident," he answered quickly. "I was just wondering if you'd heard from Daniela recently?"

There was a brief pause. " _Ella? No, I-uh, I can't say I have. Why, is everything okay?_ " Simon's voice became more worried which Lip empathized with.

Exhaling, he shook his head. "Not really. She took off early this morning. No-one's seen her but we're all looking around now."

" _Shit._ " It was genuine and caused Lip to nod.

"Yeah. Can you think of any places she might've gone?"

Simon thought over it for a moment before regretfully sighing. " _Sorry, nothing comes to mind but I'll try and see what I can do._ "

"Thanks," said Lip. "I know her brother would really appreciate it."

" _Of course._ " There was another long beat before Simon spoke again. " _I'll call as soon as I found anything out._ "

"Thank you, man." Lip promptly hung up the phone. Taking a deep breath, he tilted his head back to look up at the sky. "Where the fuck are you?" He muttered into the air.

.

Simon lowered his phone, hearing the end of the line disconnect. With a tired sigh, he wiped a hand over his face and turned to look at the figure wedged up in the corner of his bed.

Her knees were pulled tightly to her chest and her arms circled them, holding them firmly in place. Simon clenched his jaw seeing the broken far-off look in her eyes.

She had turned up outside of his dorm barely a half-hour ago looking like a wreck. After hurriedly ushering her in, she had taken up residence on his bed leaving him to occupy the desk chair. It was a good thing his roommate was out as they'd no doubt be thrown off by the girl's demeanor.

He knew it wasn't a coincidence. Not long before she had shown up, his phone had been inundated with texts from Mandy and Ian, each asking if they had seen her but he had known nothing.

"Thank you," said Daniela, finally tearing her eyes away from the bare walls of his dorm room. He hadn't gotten around to decorating just yet.

Simon nodded as he came to sit on the edge of the bed, his eyes bearing into her worriedly. "Now, you wanna tell me why the hell everyone's looking for you?"

Daniela maintained her silence, choosing to hold his stare for only a moment. Opening her mouth, she debated whether to say anything before deciding against it, choosing instead to lay her cheek on her hands, effectively turning away from him.

/

 **4:58pm**

Lip slipped his phone back into his pocket. Yet another dead end. With his frustration beginning to peak, he decided to retrace his steps on the way back to his house.

He was barely aware of his surroundings as he stumbled home, his mind far too busy worrying over Daniela's precarious state. More than anything he wanted her to come home safe and sound, however, he wasn't sure how much more of this waiting he could take.

Lip heaved a heavy sigh and wiped a hand over his face before shoving them into his pockets. Glancing absently to the side, he registered where he was.

As he looked to the side of him, he saw Karen make her way out of her house wearing a baggy hoodie to conceal her face. It wasn't much longer before she spotted him too; the hint of a smirk appearing on her face as she did so.

"That didn't take long," she said, making her way down the footpath. Lip slowed to a stop somewhat reluctantly as Karen eyed him up and down. "I knew you'd be back."

Shrugging, Lip replied. "I was just passing by."

Karen didn't seem to believe a word he said and tilted her head giving the boy a glimpse at the bruising around her eye.

"Did you change your mind?" She asked in that sultry voice that would've worked wonders on him were it any other day. Instead, Lip felt nothing and chose to point out her new marking.

"What happened to your face?" He internally cursed at himself for sounding so worried.

Karen's face soured and her lips puckered at the distasteful reminder. She shifted the hood of her jumper. "Your girlfriend." The word was spoken with such acidity that it made Lip narrow his eyes in confusion.

"Ella did that to you? When?"

"I ran into her yesterday and we had a talk, you know, girl to girl."

Still confused, Lip pushed on hoping that she would be able to provide him with some sort of idea of where Daniela might've taken off to. "Why'd she hit you?"

Karen shrugged, the perfect model of wicked innocence. "I guess she just couldn't handle what I had to say."

"What'd you say to her?" Asked Lip his voice growing more heated as dread settled into his chest.

Knowingly, the blonde simply smirked, doing nothing to ease Lip. "Nothing that wasn't true."

"You? Telling the truth? Sure."

"So it's not true that we fucked?" Frowned Karen, feigning thought. "Because I'm pretty sure that happened. More than once actually."

It was like cold water being poured over Lip's head. His narrowed eyes, now cold and full of hatred, bore down on Karen who stood as cool as a cucumber, reveling in the chaos she had managed to create. His fists clenched tightly by his sides as Karen continued.

"She really can be so sensitive," pouted the blonde, inching closer to him to bat her eyelashes. "But hey! Great news, now you can dump the loser and we can finally pick up where we left off."

Her hand came to rest on his chest causing him to jolt slightly. Lip's eyes tore away from her and he bit down hard on his tongue.

"Admit it. You missed me. You missed _us_ and this little fantasy world you've created with Daniela was all just some pathetic attempt to forget about me." Karen's other hand came to graze against his jaw, drawing his attention back to her.

Lip swallowed, his eyes glistening as he practically vibrated anger. But as he looked down into her eyes, he felt his resolve begin to crumble for she had always been able to affect him.

"But it didn't work," she continued, her voice barely a murmur. "Because you know, deep down, that I'm the better person- the only person- for you."

Lip said nothing and for a few long moments, neither person did anything. Karen's thumb brushed against his cheek, feeling the tenseness of it beneath her hand. She knew she almost had him. She could see it in his eyes. Just a moment longer and he would be hers.

Meanwhile, Lip was having an internal battle with himself. On the one hand, he wanted nothing more than to accept Karen's invitation and succumb to her persuasions but then there was the other, dominating part of him that screamed at Lip to shove her away and find Daniela.

Daniela.

His chest ached painfully at the stark realization that she was walking around God-knows-where knowing what he had done to her. Not even 24 hours ago she had opened up to him about her trust for him, something that he hadn't taken lightly. In fact, it made that knot in his stomach tighten with guilt.

He didn't care if Daniela wanted nothing to do with him because he was going to find her and bring her back home safe and sound and try his absolute hardest to fix everything.

Coming back to the present, Lip noticed Karen's gaze and for what seemed to be the first time ever, he felt nothing. Her charm, nor her smile had any effect on him.

The anticipation in Karen's eyes fizzled out when she saw Lip's eyes darken and his mouth pinch. "All you are, Karen, is a lying manipulative bitch who doesn't care about anyone but herself."

Not willing to let him go so easy, the blonde grabbed at the lapels of his jacket, tugging his body flush against hers.

"That's where you're wrong, Lip." She chuckled darkly. "I care about you."

Lip's newfound confidence didn't waver as he glowered down at his ex, wondering why it had taken him so long to reach this point. He regretted not seeing it sooner.

"Did you not hear what I said yesterday? We're done, Karen. For good." He shoved her hands off of him and stepped back. He had meant every word he said but he knew that what he'd say next would really be the defining moment.

"I don't know what I ever fucking saw in you," Lip finished, voice laced with disgust. Karen's hurt expression was nearly enough to make him regret what he'd said. Before she could sway him anymore, Lip turned on his foot and walked away.

He strode home, his chest swelling with accomplishment. However, it didn't last very long as he soon fell back into his thoughts of how he managed to let things get so out of control.

The night when Daniela had confronted him about Karen, Lip had been unprepared, both for what she was going to say and how unsure he felt about it after she was gone. What had gotten him the most, though, was the look of grim acceptance, like she had expected him to second guess himself.

As he made his way to Karen's, he wasn't entirely sure what his plan was. It wasn't until she was stood there across from him, belittling his relationship with that coy grin of hers that Lip made a decision. And what an awful one it was.

After the first time- which he hated the sound of- Lip had felt dirty. He'd spent nearly twenty minutes scrubbing himself clean when he got home but nothing managed to rid him of the heaviness.

He knew it had been wrong.

Sure he had enjoyed it at the time but as soon as they were done and reality had set in, that was when everything came crashing down around him.

He had cheated.

Lip didn't know how he let himself get to that point. All he knew was that Daniela was right. There were still lingering feelings for Karen, feelings that quite possibly just doomed his current relationship. He didn't know what it was about it that made him fall back into Karen's waiting arms every time.

Lip had been doing so well too.

He thought he was finally getting past his self-destructive tendencies. Hell, he had even turned down the pedophile teacher when she had been more than eager to eat peanut butter off of him. But he had almost slipped, and Lip had told himself that he would never get to that point again- that he wouldn't hurt Daniela like that.

But he had failed. Miserably.

/

 **5:40pm**

At the sound of the door opening, Daniela's gaze snapped up catching onto the figure of Simon walking in. Lowering her eyes, she noticed the drink tray he was carrying along with the paper bag.

"I got you some food," he told her, kicking the door shut with his foot. Daniela's eyes followed him as he sat down on the office chair opposite to her. "Double cheeseburger, extra pickles just how you like it."

Simon offered her a small smile but she found she couldn't muster up anything to give him. Instead, she shook her head slightly.

"I'm not hungry."

"When was the last time you ate?" The boy asked quickly, his brow arching knowingly. If it were any other day, Daniela would've been proud of how stubborn her friend was being. Alas, she never got around to answering as her stomach managed to do it for her.

Satisfied, Simon grinned at the traitorous sound and she rolled her eyes. Breaking eye contact, Daniela held out her palm and soon felt him place the burger in her hand.

On any other day, she would've demolished it without even thinking but today she couldn't bring herself to. So she stared at with a deep pity, both for the burger who smelt so delicious and deserved a much more eager consumer, and for herself for the loss of appetite.

In front of her, Daniela could feel Simon watching, waiting for her to take a bite.

Pressing her lips together, she carefully began unwrapping it before bringing it to her mouth. She took a small bite, allowing the food to linger on her tongue longer than usual. Like a robot, she chewed and swallowed then started the process all over again.

Bite, chew, swallow.

As she did this, she kept level eye contact with Simon who wanted to ensure she continued to feed herself. She had no doubt he would do it for her if she didn't. Retrieving another burger from the paper bag, the boy joined her in her meal; the two of them eating silently.

When she reached the halfway point of her burger, Simon grabbed the drink he had also gotten for her and held it out in her direction. Daniela didn't hesitate and took a few long sips from it before handing it back.

Simon had just placed it down on his desk when there was a knock at the door.

Daniela jumped at the sound before hunching forward, pulling her burger deeper into her chest. Seeing this, Simon offered her an apologetic look before carefully opening the door. From the bed, Daniela heard him sigh in relief.

"She here?" Asked the naturally harsh voice that she recognized immediately. Without a word, Simon moved to the side to allow Mandy passage into his dorm room.

Mandy strode in confidently, registering Daniela who was still perched delicately on the bed, now sipping her milkshake. The Milkovich huffed at the sight of her.

"There you are," she declared, crossing her arms over her chest nonchalantly. "Your brother's shitting himself, you know that right? Ian too, but I think Lip takes the cake."

At the mention of Lip, Daniela bowed her head even more into herself and adjusted her socked feet. Standing over her, Simon and Mandy shared a look.

"How did you know I was here?" Daniela asked, diverting from the topic of her boyfriend.

Mandy shrugged like it had been the easiest thing to do and flopped down on the bed beside her. "Simon was the only one not freaking the fuck out so I figured he already knew where you were."

Feeling the other girl's eyes on her, Daniela finally glanced up. "Everyone's worried about you." She didn't react. Mandy huffed and raked a hand through her hair lazily. "Lip's been combing through the whole city looking for you."

Daniela snorted but regretted it as soon as she saw Mandy's eyes narrow in curiosity. "You guys still not talking?"

Shaking her head, Daniela elaborated. "It's more so I don't _want_ to talk to him."

"What did he do?" Asked Mandy instantly. The other girl was shocked at how quick she was to jump to conclusions and also at the slight bite to her tone that Daniela hadn't been expecting.

"More like who did he do." Her voice was so cavalier that it managed to catch the other two off guard. Mandy pounced on it like a tiger.

"You mean he-"

"Yeah," Daniela nodded, confirming Mandy's suspicions.

"Who?"

"Do you really need to ask?" Wondered Daniela, dryly.

Mandy's jaw clenched tightly, a look of fury passing over her face as she shook her head. "Un-fucking-believable."

Simon, utterly lost, whipped his eyes back and forth between the two girls. "Wait, what happened?"

Mandy, now completely pissed, turned to her boyfriend. "Fucking Lip fucked Karen," she said, voice cold as ice though not at him. "That's what happened." Simon's brow hiked as his girlfriend averted her attention back to Daniela who was now analyzing her nails.

"He's a fucking scumbag."

"I'm gonna punch him in the face the next time I see him," declared Simon, throwing both of them off guard. Neither had seen him voice any sort of violent actions before nor had they heard his voice darken so much.

Suddenly distracted, Mandy looked her boyfriend up and down, the corner of her mouth curling up.

"Don't," Daniela said, waving a hand and grabbing both of their attentions. "I'll handle it myself."

"I can hit her with my brother's car," offered Mandy, her complete seriousness scaring Daniela for a moment. The Milkovich sucked on her teeth before murmuring quietly. "I never liked that skank hoe."

Surprising all of them, Daniela actually laughed. It was hearty and enough to make her head fall back as her shoulders shook with mirth. Calming herself, she simply grinned in amusement at the other girl but shook her head.

"No thanks, Mandy. That's the last thing I want on my conscience. Besides, I already got one hit in." She shook her hand for emphasis, noting the way Mandy's face lit up.

"You hit Karen?" Asked a wide-eyed Simon.

In a flash, Daniela's limb was in the firm grasp of Mandy who surveyed the hell out of it, wearing an expression of pure delight.

"Ha! Oh my god. So that's why she wasn't at school today."

Daniela frowned. "She skipped school?"

All she got was a simple nod of confirmation. "How hard did you hit her?"

Shrugging, Daniela leaned her back against the wall. "I don't really remember. It kind of just happened. All I know is that my knuckles hurt from it."

"Yeah, you're definitely gonna need to put some ice on that when you get home," claimed Mandy, finally letting go of her hand.

"Speaking of, when are you going home?" Asked Simon being sure to not sound like he was forcing her out. "Not that you being here is a problem in any way."

Daniela twisted her mouth, her knuckles flexing. She didn't really want to go back. She didn't feel ready to do so because if she went back then that meant she had to deal with everything.

It also meant she couldn't deny two things. One, that her mother was dead, and two, that her boyfriend very possibly cheated on her with his ex.

Either way, Daniela knew she couldn't avoid it forever and Mandy's reminder that her brother was worried sick caused a guilty knot to tighten in her stomach.

Coming to a glum realization, Daniela's eyes flicked between the two. "I have to go back now don't I?"

/

 **7:07pm**

Jakob sat on an armchair with his elbows rested on his knees. In front of him stood the Gallaghers along with Kev and Veronica. Though he had never interacted with any of them a whole lot, they all stepped up to the plate when they heard about Daniela.

The little ones were particularly vocal and the little red-head girl his sister often spoke so fondly about was the main mouthpiece of the group, urging them that they had to find her as soon as possible.

He agreed wholeheartedly. He didn't enjoy the thought of his baby sister all alone after facing such an ordeal. Jakob was barely managing to keep it together as it was.

Amongst the small congregation stood Ian, who frowned at his brother. Lip had been acting especially jittery since he had returned from his private search with no such luck.

Leaning over, he whispered to his brother as Jakob addressed the others in the background. "Hey, you okay?"

Lip spared him a glance, his teeth chewing on the skin around his thumb. "Just worried about her, you know?"

Ian nodded in understanding and pulled out his phone. He had been waiting to hear back from Mandy. She had gone off on her own a while ago and, as it grew later, the group's spirits had started to decline, with Jakob feeling the most of it.

Katherine, who was positioned to the right of the man, rubbed his shoulder reassuringly. "We'll find her Jake."

The man met her eyes, placing his hand over hers and squeezing it slightly. Lip, seeing this little interaction, ducked his head, choosing to admire the carpet instead.

The sudden sound of the door opening caught everyone's attention.

"Daniela!" Cried little Debbie.

Simultaneously, all heads whipped and craned to see Simon and Mandy stroll in followed by a reluctant Daniela. Lip breathed a quiet sigh of relief when he spotted her and he fought the urge to take her in his arms right there and then.

Jakob was up in an instant, his long legs carrying him to his sister as they came to stand in the lounge with the rest of them. Daniela froze when she saw the group. Her eyes traveled across the familiar faces, seeing that they were all filled with relief.

"Dani!" Her attention turned to her brother just as he enveloped her in a bear hug that was very quickly cutting off her ability to breathe. He sighed into her ear, hinting at how his mindset had been while she was gone.

Guilt churned in her stomach as she returned the hug. Jakob was the last person she wanted to hurt. "I'm sorry."

"Never do that again."

Behind Daniela stood Simon and Mandy who also glanced around at the impressive gathering. Lip took notice of them, stiffening when the Milkovich's cold eyes met his, not anticipating the level of hatred she was shooting his way.

Her jaw tightened but still, her stare never wavered. Quietly, she whispered something into her boyfriend's ear that caused him to also look at Lip. He simply stared back, the familiar dread settling into his chest once again as Simon narrowed his eyes too.

They knew.

The thought unsettled Lip, who blinked, breaking the uncomfortable eye contact.

"Thank you, Simon," praised Jakob, clasping his hand around the boy's shoulder. Simon, not used to it, simply nodded.

Mandy, however, raised a hand. "I brought her back too." Jakob, finally noticing her, frowned.

"Mandy?" Piped up Kev from the back wearing an expression of pure confusion.

"Since when do you two hang out?" Veronica joined in, gesturing between the two girls.

Daniela pulled away from her brother, ready to explain the whole situation but was beaten to it.

Mandy huffed in exasperation. "We're friends."

Ian, noting everyone's faces, nodded knowingly. "Yeah, it's weird but the more you think about it, the more it makes sense."

Daniela huffed a small laugh at that.

"Where did you go?" Asked Lip, stepping forward. Instantly, her body language shifted and her face hardened. Jakob, also curious, turned to her, waiting. Daniela glanced between the two of them and swallowed.

"I walked around the city for a while. Rode the L for a bit and then turned up at Simon's dorm."

Lip, looking pissed, turned his attention to Simon. "You knew where she was the whole time?" He fumed, advancing over to the boy. "Did you know where she was when I called you? Why didn't you say anything?"

Simon glared back, not willing to back down when Daniela butted in.

"I asked him not to," she told Lip with a bite to her tone that managed to rile him up even more.

"And the hell would you do that?"

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Because I didn't want to be found."

Lip fell silent, a frown marring his features as he took a step back from Simon. Daniela, gauging everyone's reactions, released a breath and clenched her eyes shut for a second.

"I just needed time away from everything so that I could think."

"What, you couldn't just tell us that or, I don't know, call?"

"Okay," interrupted Jakob inching closer to the pair. Daniela's glare towards Lip never wavered as her brother tried to diffuse the situation. "How 'bout we take it easy, alright?"

Lip, after a long tense moment, backed off. Daniela scoffed under her breath, breaking the eye contact.

"We better head off," spoke Kevin, no doubt feeling a little uncomfortable. He traveled to where the teen girl stood and grabbed her shoulders comfortingly. "It's good to have you back safe, D."

"Thanks for coming," said Jakob as Veronica moved to hug Daniela.

Shortly after that, Fiona decided it was time that she got the young ones to bed. They followed a similar process, each hugging Daniela while telling her how happy they were to see her home safe and sound.

When it came time for Debbie to say goodbye, she rushed forward, nearly knocking Daniela off her feet. Her arms wound around her tightly and her face pressed against her chest. The older girl's eyes softened and her fingers raked through Debbie's hair before pressing a kiss to it.

That left six.

Turning to her brother, Daniela pressed her lips together. "Is it okay if I talk to them alone?"

Jakob, seemingly reluctant, eventually allowed it. Katherine stepped up beside him and wove her arm through his.

"We'll go get some takeaway. You must be starving." Daniela didn't have the heart to tell her she had already eaten and waited for them to leave.

Once she was sure they were gone, Daniela turned her attention to the others in the room. Ian was confused and worried while Lip tossed up which foot he was leaning on the most, obviously knowing what was coming.

Simon and Mandy watched from the sidelines.

"Ella, I-"

"Save it," she held up a hand, effectively shutting him up. "You don't have to keep pretending anymore."

Lip glanced at the others in the room before giving Daniela a look. "Look, maybe we could do this somewhere else?"

"Oh, but we already know," chimed in a smug Mandy while crossing her arms over her chest.

Daniela nodded at the girl before returning her attention to Lip. "And Ian's bound to find out eventually."

Ian frowned. "Find out what?"

Daniela kept her eyes on Lip. "You wanna tell him or should I?"

"I'll do it," offered Mandy shamelessly, even raising her hand.

Ian, now even more confused, looked desperately at all of them. "Will someone tell me what the fuck is going on?"

Lip bit the inside of his cheek. He could feel the stares of everyone falling onto him and when he spoke, he met none of them.

"I had sex with Karen."

The rate at which Ian's face shifted was almost comical.

"You did _what_?" It was spoken slowly, a wild fury burning behind each word.

Lip continued to stand there, not raising his eyes.

"I didn't think it was true." They all looked at Daniela, her voice having cut through everything else. Her eyes never strayed from Lip. "I wanted to believe that what she had told me was just another lie of hers."

Lip shook his head helplessly, eyes conveying the guilt he was feeling. "Can we please talk about this privately?"

"No, no, I think she has a point," butted in an angry Ian before marching up to stand toe-to-toe with his brother.

"I wasn't asking you," Lip said back, eyes narrowing slightly. Ian puffed out his chest and the two looked as if they were ready to get into it.

"Ian," called Daniela. Reluctantly, the red-head shifted to see his best friend shake her head at him. Her chin was raised slightly. "I can take it from here."

She could tell straight away that he didn't want to leave her, and neither did Simon and Mandy when Daniela turned her attention to them too.

"Guys…" she trailed off but they got the hint.

Simon was the first to move, taking Mandy's hand in his before pulling her slowly towards the door. The Milkovich scowled at Lip one last time, muttering a quiet 'asshole' before stopping near Daniela.

"I'll message you later."

Daniela nodded, giving her a short smile before the pair were gone. Her head swiveled to Ian who was still stood in front of his brother, his face almost as red as his hair.

"Ian," she tried again. Her friend closed his eyes, her voice having gotten through to him.

"Don't think this is over," he warned his brother through gritted teeth. Finally, he stepped back, his eyes softening immediately when they fell onto Daniela.

He came to a stop in front of her, his arms reaching out to pull her into his chest.

"I'm glad you're home safe," he mumbled against the side of her face. Daniela simply nodded into the crook of his shoulder, blinking back tears as he kissed her cheek.

With one final look at his brother, Ian left. Daniela heard the door close behind them.

Now it was just the two of them.

She crossed her arms over her chest, a single eyebrow arched. "Well?"

Lip tried to think of what to say. "I'm sorry," he settled for.

It caused her to scoff. "Well, forgive me if I call bullshit on that one."

Lip shook his head before taking a step forward. He was quickly met with Daniela's hand, urging him to stop.

She licked her lips and tilted her head. "Just tell me one thing, Lip." When he nodded, she continued. "Why did you do it?"

He had asked himself the same question multiple times, mainly after each time he sought Karen's company. He still hadn't come up with an answer.

"Because I was scared that what you'd said was true," he admitted, hating every word he said. "And that I wasn't over her."

Daniela's jaw clenched and he saw the hurt flash over her face. "So you decided to just have sex with her to figure it out? You're a real intellectual, Lip."

"I hadn't been planning to," he tried defending himself but he was just met with more disbelief. Lip, seeing that he was losing her, became more urgent. "I knew I had fucked up as soon as it was over. I swear I did."

"But you _still_ did it!" Yelled Daniela, her eyes burning as she finally cracked. Catching Lip off guard, she stormed up to him and began poking his chest. "You did it, again and again, and again. So why the fuck should I believe anything you're telling me?"

Lip pushed the knuckles of his thumbs into his eyes, feeling his frustration rise. "I went to see her yesterday after you and I made up. I didn't think she would drop it on you like that."

"So what? Were you just hoping she would sweep it under the rug? Act like it never happened?"

Lip said nothing.

Daniela chuckled humorlessly and her eyes glistened. "You know what? I'm glad she told me because now I know who you really are."

"I'm gonna fix this," Lip promised, stepping closer to swallow up any space between them. Carefully, he placed his hand on the back of her neck and was surprised when was met with no resistance. He took it as a positive sign.

Slowly, he tilted her chin up to meet his determined stare. "Whatever it takes, I'll fix it. Just tell me what you want and I'll do it."

She could feel her resolve lessening the longer she stared into his eyes. She thought of how easy it would be to just forget about it all and continue on like nothing happened. Like it was a small blip on the radar.

But she also knew that if she let herself do that, then she would never be happy. Not after everything she knew.

"Right now," began Daniela after a long silence, her voice hardening. "I want you to leave."

Lip's eyebrows pinched together, not expecting that response. "Wait, you can't be serious?"

"Oh, I am deadly serious." She stepped behind him, pushing him forward slightly. As she herded him towards the door, Lip tried his hardest to get through to her.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Aren't we gonna talk about this?"

"I'm not in the mood, Lip," she said, exhaustion seeping into her voice. Lip stumbled out onto the front porch.

"Wait," he tried again. "I don't think I should be leaving you alone right now."

"Jake's gonna be back any minute now so don't worry about it."

"Ella-"

"Oh, and in case you didn't realize, we're done."

The door swung closed on his face, offering Daniela a feeling akin to therapeutic. The strength she had been holding onto diminished straight away and she slowly began to crumble.

Her forehead dropped forward, resting against the closed door as her eyes clenched shut. She could feel the tears gathering. Daniela continued to stand like that for a minute or so before standing upright and wiping at her cheeks.

Heaving a deep breath, Daniela turned and made her way up the stairs.

/

 **10:00am**

Daniela's hand clenched tighter around Jakob's as the elevator doors opened for them to exit. They emerged, nerves pounding through their body, in particular, Daniela's.

She had made the choice to go there that morning, something that surprised her brother given how soon it had been but she stayed adamant.

As if he could sense it, Jakob twisted to look down at his little sister and met her eye before offering her a comforting smile. To Daniela, it felt like slow motion the closer they got to her mother's hospital room.

Finally reaching the closed door, Jakob brought the two of them to halt.

"You sure you're ready to do this?" He asked, leveling her with his stare. "If you need more time-"

"No," she shook her head, determined. "She doesn't deserve to stay like that any longer."

His expression remorseful, Jakob nodded before using his free hand to open the door. Daniela's breath caught in her throat when her eyes came to rest on the bed and, more importantly, her mother.

Feeling a tug on her hand, Daniela's eyes flicked momentarily to her brother who gently urged her closer so that they were stood at their mother's bedside. The girl blinked down at the woman's figure, her mouth pinching distastefully at the number of wires strapped to her along with the long tube inserted in her mouth.

It was eerie really. If the doctors were to take away all of the machines, Camille would appear to simply be sleeping.

Folding her mouth, Daniela hesitantly reached out to where her mother's hand laid. Carefully, as if she were a doll made of porcelain, she curled her fingers around the woman's.

The first thing she noticed was how cold she was. Once, in her Biology class, they had talked about body temperature and that the fingers and toes were the most susceptible to a change in heat. Her hand tightened around her mother's in an attempt to hopefully warm her up the best she could.

Her vision became blurry all of a sudden and Daniela had to tighten her jaw to keep the tears at bay. An arm wrapped around her, pulling her side to her brother's. She sniffled and wiped at her cheek.

The sound of approaching footsteps alerted them of the doctor entering the room. The woman eyed the siblings, her thin mouth grimacing. She flicked her eyes between the two of them.

"We're going to switch the life support off in a few minutes if you'd like to say your final goodbyes."

Daniela's body stiffened as Jakob nodded at the doctor, trying his hardest to stifle his own grief. "Thank you."

Wordlessly, the woman nodded back before leaving them to their goodbyes. Jakob turned back to the bed and heaved a shaky breath. Daniela's eyes softened as she watched the struggle on her brother's face.

Pulling his front lip along his teeth, Jakob removed his arm from his sister before stepping forward to rest his hands on the rail of the bed. For a long moment, he simply surveyed her, trying to come to terms with the fact that this would be the last time he ever saw her alive.

Daniela chewed on her lip, her eyes also roaming over the woman's face. Her skin, usually a natural bronze, was now a few shades lighter and her lips were cracked from dehydration. She didn't want to remember her like this. Her mother was a beautiful, fiery spirit who could make you laugh without even trying.

Her voice had been as warm as honey and Daniela recalled the fond memories of that voice singing lullabies into her ear as a child. Her mother had been her support system, someone who was always there for her no matter what.

This woman was only a shell of Camille Kaufman- the mother they had known and loved.

Jakob's body hunched over their mother's and his head was bowed but Daniela could still spy the tear tracks on his stubbly cheeks.

"Bye, mom," he whispered, leaning to kiss her forehead. His lips stayed there for a moment as he clenched his eyes shut. Jakob let go of the ragged breath he had been holding in before standing upright,

Now it was her turn.

Slowly, Daniela mimicked her brother, leaning over the bed to hover her mouth above her mother's forehead. Her eyes stared down at the woman; the closed eyes, the uncomfortable tube, the pale skin.

As she went to press her lips, her throat tightened, followed by a short intake of breath that caused her to stumble back.

"I can't." She cried, shaking her head and waving her arms around. "I can't do it." Her eyes clenched shut as she felt Jakob's arms surround her. She collapsed against him, as gut-wrenching sobs tore from her chest.

"I thought I could, but-" Daniela choked. Her brother's hand rested at the back of her head, pushing it into his chest. Her hands fisted into his jacket, clinging tightly to him. "I can't let her go."

"I know," shushed an equally emotional Jakob while stroking her hair. "I know. But you said so yourself, we can't just leave her like this."

She nodded and pulled away. Jakob wiped a thumb over her cheeks before she sniffled and headed back over to the bed. Her hand's clasped together in an attempt to muster some sort of strength.

Again, Daniela placed a shaky hand on the rail of the bed and leaned forward. "Thank you," she cried, her voice thick with tears. "For everything." Pushing forward, her mouth brushed against the woman's forehead. "I love you."

Her shoulders shook with fresh sobs and she soon felt Jakob lay a hand on her shoulder. Daniela looked over her shoulder at him and stepped back into his waiting arms. The young man pressed a kiss to his sisters head as his eyes caught onto the returning doctor.

"I'm afraid it's time."

Jakob nodded; his own glossy eyes flicking skywards. He released a rugged breath and tightened his hold around his crumbling sister.

"You don't have to watch," he muttered into her ear but he was met with resistance.

Daniela shook her head before angling her body so that she had a clear view of what was going on. The doctor went about doing her job, removing the tube and pushing buttons on the life support machine.

It all seemed so surreal to Daniela. Like a bad dream.

Neither sibling was able to tear their eyes away from Camille as the sound of her heartbeat slowed until it finally reached a piercing flatline. Amongst it all, Daniela monitored her mother's face, noticing that after everything, there was no pain, only peace.

* * *

And the heartbreak continues! Once again, thank you to all of you beautiful people for loving so many lovely comments. It's a hard time in Daniela's life and that's certainly not easing up anytime soon.

I'd say there are about two more chapters left for Season 3 and each are very important so I might need time to make sure they're planned properly but I'll try as hard as I can to get them out to you as soon as possible.

 _Special thanks to_ mchurch1992, Rae, wickedgrl123, thedevilyoudontknow, Maddprincess, tffnykzks, Guest (1,2,3&4) 13Death'sAngel13, icantfindacreativeusername, AnImEfReAk4994, toxic click, emirose3323, Volleyball Babe22, Raging Raven, Vanessa, youthed, funwithstark, RHatch89, 13teen, Natalya Rose, xencanaan, blouwoods, Amelia Mikaelhey, x NikiSt x, and Naruhina1519 for reviewing, the 14 who favorited, the 13 who followed and the one person who added this story into a community!

Bless all of you!

 **Also** , in reply to _Onlineashley_ , I wanted to thank you for the great review and tell you that I did listen to that song and it very much fits the last chapter and that whole thought process. My main song whilst writing this chapter was 'Into the Black' but the Chromatics version.

 **REVIEW!**


	35. Order Room Service Pt1

**Chapter 35.**

You're all amazing and I appreciate you so much. Thanks for waiting and I hope you enjoy. This chapter was cut into two because of how long it was getting.

 **Also!** Any religious views represented in this chapter do not reflect my own personal ones, they're purely Daniela's thoughts.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Shameless.

* * *

Eight days.

That's how long it had been since Daniela had lost her mother. Eight whole days.

She had read about the five stages of grief and tried to factor herself into which stage she currently reigned.

The first stage -denial- had come pretty quickly. After returning home, Daniela found that she couldn't feel a thing, nor form a solid thought. There was almost a normalcy about everything, so much so that the next day she had no quarries about turning up to work.

Daniela had walked into the K&G looking fresh-faced and ready to go much to the confusion and worry of her boss who had been there to cover her shift.

"Daniela," gaped Linda when she saw her walk in. The teen simply nodded her head as she moved past her to hang her bag up.

"Morning, Linda." Linda watched in shock as Daniela moved towards the back where the storage was.

"You want me to do last night's inventory?" Her voice carried throughout the store sounding as if she hadn't just suffered a major loss. Still wary, Linda followed the voice, coming to a stop when she saw Daniela reading over the lists.

"I didn't think you were working today."

The girl frowned down at the clipboard, sparing her boss a brief glance. "Why wouldn't I be working?"

Linda sighed and rubbed a hand over her forehead as the girl moved around to where the boxes were, her pen ticking off what she could find. "Daniela…" She knew she had to go about this gently.

Still, her words fell on deaf ears as Daniela continued working but the woman could see that she wasn't completely distracted judging by the white of her knuckles as they clenched around the pen.

With a tsk, Linda strode over to her and snatched the clipboard out of her hands. Daniela's mouth gaped at the woman.

"What-?"

"Go home."

Her reply was instant. "I don't want to go home."

"You shouldn't be working," noted Linda, her voice softer now. "Not after..."

Daniela's facade shifted ever so slightly before being replaced with her calm exterior. She swallowed and lifted her chin, a defiant glint in her eyes.

"I'm fine, Linda."

"You should be at home-"

"I said I'm fine!" Snapped Daniela before instantly regretting it when she saw the other woman jump. She pinched the bridge of her nose and brought her voice back down. "Sorry. I just- please don't make me go home."

For her, home was nothing but a cold reminder of what she had lost and right now she was determined to act is if nothing had changed.

Linda's eyes roamed over her face in the way that only a mother's could. Seeing this, Daniela shifted her stare to rest past her shoulder as the knot in her jaw wound tighter.

"Okay," relented Linda in a voice so soft that it was almost unintelligible. Daniela's shoulders sagged with quiet relief while her boss offered out the clipboard.

"There was a delivery last night," explained Linda; the authority flowing back into her tone though it was much gentler than usual. "Inventory still needs to be done for that and then once you're finished you'll need to restock the fridges."

Daniela nodded dutifully, feeling the urge to thank her but ultimately deciding against it. Linda knew. She understood, and so the girl went about doing her jobs. She did all of the inventory, even going as far as to do it twice in case she missed something. Then she restocked the fridges from the back and threw out the expired milk that had been left in there.

Daniela then decided to restock the shelves behind the register. The ones dedicated to the most highly sought after products school as booze and cigarettes. With a grunt, she placed down a box of bourbon before pulling out a box cutter to open it.

She began unloading them, one at a time, making sure not to drop any of the bottles. She didn't want to clean the mess up. However, as she went to put one on display, her hand stopped, leaving the label right in her line of sight.

Daniela's eyes scanned the bottle with the amber liquid sloshing around inside of it when an idea came to mind. It was not a good idea by any means, but in that moment it made perfect sense to her.

Chancing a look over her shoulder, Daniela saw that her boss was nowhere to be seen. Her eyes moved to the security camera installed on the wall and she held contact with the lens for a good moment. Making up her mind, the girl shifted so that her body was positioned over the box, effectively hiding it from view.

She made quick work of dispensing two bottles. She contemplated taking a third but figured it would be far too risky for her first attempt.

First attempt? Surely this would be a one-time thing.

Daniela didn't let herself think too much about it as she pushed the bottles into a tucked away area under the front counter where no one was sure to find them.

Slowly, with baited breath, she rose, pushing a piece of hair behind her ear. She waited a few moments to see if her boss would say anything but no such scolding came. Relieved, Daniela got back to work.

At the end of her shift, after saying goodbye to Linda, the girl made her way around the counter to where her bag was. She grabbed it before crouching down to where her hidden stash was. Quickly she loaded them before also grabbing a pack of Virginia Slims and a lighter as an afterthought.

As she made to leave, something stopped her. Daniela's hand rested against the handle and she bit her lip in deep thought. Blinking, she dug her hand into her pocket and walked back towards the cash register where she slapped the cash down before finally going home.

/

Day three came and Daniela had done as much as she could to stay away from any discussion of the funeral despite Jacob's consistent urging that she should participate.

That day had been particularly bad for Daniela as she was beginning to run low on bourbon and the lack of sleep she had managed to get had left her in a crabby mood.

She had been on her way to get some more when her brother stopped her.

"Dani, can you come here for a second?" He called from the kitchen. She rolled her eyes but followed the voice to where he was sat at the table.

"What?"

He gestured with two fingers for her to come closer which she did grudgingly. "I wanted to get your opinion on something." Daniela sucked on her teeth and crossed her arms waiting for him to continue.

"I was thinking that we could have the service at the church."

Instantly, the girl's eyes narrowed, feeling anger pulsating in her chest. "Why?" She demanded.

"Mom was Catholic."

"Yeah and look what good that did her," snapped Daniela, throwing her hand up in exasperation. She couldn't believe him.

Yes, her mother had been a devoted Catholic once upon a time but after the situation with her father, that connection had been shattered between them and the church. They didn't want the family of a murderer in their midst while they preached on Sundays.

"I just don't think we should pass on considering to have the service at the church," reasoned Jakob, his voice never rising higher than its usual volume.

Daniela scoffed immediately. "We absolutely should pass on it considering the church did shit all for us when she was dying. "

"Dani-"

"You're not actually considering it?"

Jakob fell silent, simply choosing to roll his tongue between his teeth. Daniela sucked on her own, her head shaking before turning and marching upstairs only to return moments later with her coat.

At the sight of her leaving, Jakob shot up from his seat, his brow furrowed.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Daniela rolled her eyes as her hand rested on the handle of the door. "Relax," she snapped. "I'll be back."

She closed the door behind her, hearing the sound of her brother calling out her name but she simply ignored him and carried on walking. Reaching into her pocket, she found her phone as well as her trusty packet of cigarettes.

Placing one in between her lips, Daniela then pulled up a name in her contacts, her fingers working against the screen to type a message.

Around fifteen minutes later she arrived at her destination, happy to see that the person she had texted had received it and was waiting for her.

Mandy, finally spotting her, rose from her steps and walked towards the front of the sidewalk where Daniela stood. Her eyes looked over the other girl's face curiously.

"Why are you here?" She asked causing Daniela to shrug.

"We're friends now, aren't we?"

Mandy nodded, her gaze slipping to her shoe that scraped against the concrete. "Yeah, we're friends."

The corner of Daniela's mouth quirked up. "Then that's why I'm here."

Mandy nodded once more before gesturing with her thumb to the house behind her. "My dad's inside," she said as a warning.

"That's okay," replied Daniela with a slight shake of her head. "I just wanted to talk."

It was silent for a moment before Mandy motioned to the steps. Wordlessly, both girls sat down. Daniela pulled the sides of her jacket closer together and reached into her pocket to retrieve her carton of cigarettes.

Mandy watched with a frown as she placed one between her lips before lighting it. "Since when do you smoke?"

Daniela waited to blow out the small cloud of smoke before answering. "It's a recent development."

A look of understanding passed over Mandy's face as the other girl offered out the box. Her fingers pinched around one and pulled it out before accepting the girl's lighter.

Much like Daniela, the Milkovich exhaled the fumes and tossed the other girl a sideways glance.

"How're you doing with all that?" Her tone wasn't overly warm though Daniela understood that that was just how Mandy was.

"I honestly don't know," she revealed, heaving a deep sigh. "One minute I'm crying the next it's as if nothing's wrong and then suddenly it's like everything in the world annoys me."

"Where are you at now?" Asked Mandy, flicking the ash off of the end of her cigarette.

Daniela twisted her mouth, mulling over it internally. "Right now I wanna hit something."

"My offer's still on the table," reminded Mandy with a small, sly grin. Seeing the other girl's confusion, she elaborated. "Karen."

"Oh," remembered Daniela, the idea causing her to laugh. "My answers still no."

Mandy pouted momentarily before eyeing Daniela more seriously this time. "What pissed you off?"

"My brother," she answered, bringing her cigarette to her lips. "It wasn't really his fault. He didn't do anything wrong, it was just me being a bitch." Mandy remained quiet, waiting for her to continue. She sighed before doing so.

"Jakob asked if we should have the service in a church and I don't know why but the thought just made my blood boil. I mean, not once did God or anyone else from that church reach out to help us over the past four years.

"When my mom was first diagnosed, I used to pray. _Every_ night I would pray to God or whoever the fuck was up there to just help her. But no-one did and I realized that it was all a huge fucking waste of time. God didn't give a shit about what I had to say, and he sure as shit didn't give a damn about my mother."

Daniela licked her lips and leaned forward to rest her elbows on her knees. The cigarette, now almost finished, sat pinched between her knuckles. Her eyes lingered on it critically before she eventually let out a sigh. There was certainly some irony in their somewhere but she couldn't be bothered distinguishing it.

"Ian thinks you're shutting him out," revealed Mandy as Daniela put her smoke out. The girl huffed quietly to herself and pulled out another cigarette that was quickly lit. Mandy watched her through her cloud of smoke. "Are you?"

Daniela pulled the cigarette from her mouth to let it hang between her fingers. Her mouth twisted as she watched the cigarette get eaten up by the flame.

"Lip is Ian's brother," she said as if her conclusion was obvious. "He's family."

"And?" Frowned Mandy, not seeing the point. "He's just as pissed at Lip as you are. Brother or not, I think he'd take your side."

Daniela wanted to believe it but something was ultimately stopping her.

"Still," she continued. "His anger is fresh, and sure he'll hate Lip for a while but eventually things will just go back to normal between them." The cigarette rolled between her fingers as she laughed wryly. "I guess it's my own fault for falling for his brother."

"It's not your fault that Lip decided to fuck Karen," insisted Mandy, her eyes narrowing as she focused on the nonchalant girl. " _He_ fucked things up. Not you."

Daniela chose not to respond. She didn't know how to. Instead, she simply took another puff before slowly releasing the smoke into the cold air.

/

By the next morning, Daniela's situation had not eased up. In fact, she already knew from the moment that she woke up that it was going to be a long day.

It was Sunday, and Sunday meant visitation day. Due to the sensitivity of the news they'd be giving their father, the siblings thought it prudent that they have their grandmother tag along. They knew that the woman would be able to calm her son if she got out of hand.

Daniela stood patiently to the side, her fingers drumming against her crossed forearm. Jakob occupied the metal chair as Wilda was wheeled up beside him. The woman's face was pinched as she waited for her son to walk in. All three of them knew it wouldn't be easy.

The sound of a beep echoed through the room alerting them of the door being unlocked. Their eyes simultaneously fell onto Lawrence as he emerged, also managing to spot them easily. At the sight of his mother, his stride faltered.

Daniela observed as her father's eyes faded over in thought before he heaved a deep sigh and continued towards them. The man slid onto the seat and made a steeple with his hands. His expression showed that he had figured it out. Why else would his mother be with them?

Jakob was the one to reach for the phone as Lawrence grabbed his own.

"When?" Was all the man asked, his voice devoid of emotion.

Jacob's mouth thinned as he struggled to maintain eye contact with his father. "Wednesday."

Lawrence inhaled sharply. "Four-" He released the breath, his fist clenching against the counter. His eyes flicked up to meet his son's. "You kept this from me for four days?"

Jakob swallowed, his head tilting as he thought of ways to explain. "We didn't want you to find out over the phone."

Lawrence filled in the rest himself. Sunday was the only time they could tell him face to face, the way it should be. He understood this but it still hurt that it took so long for the news to reach him.

He heaved a ragged breath and shook his head as it fell forward so that his face was parallel with the counter. The three on the other side of the glass watched as he tried to reel in his emotions.

Daniela's brow furrowed, empathizing with her father whilst also pitying the fact that he couldn't do much more but sit there and accept the fact that his wife was dead. Jakob shared a similar sentiment when he felt his grandmother nudge him gently.

Wilda gestured for the phone which was given to her instantly. She cleared her throat before muttering hushed words in German through the phone to her father.

Lawrence kept his head down with his hand supporting it on a propped up elbow. The siblings watched in confusion and intrigue as Wilda's words grew more determined. Daniela observed the change in her father as her grandmother repeated whatever she was saying.

Whatever it was, it inevitably caused him to look up at her, showcasing his red eyes. Wilda leaned forward in her chair, continuing to mumble in German.

"Okay?" She asked, eyebrows raising for clarification.

Lawrence nodded and wiped a thumb over his nose. "Okay."

"Good," nodded Wilda in satisfaction. "Now, you're going to be on your best behavior and not fuck anything up."

"I won't," he promised determinedly. His eyes shifted to his children who watched the interaction in mild bewilderment. He swallowed when his eyes made contact with Daniela's.

The girl sniffled and wiped her nose, hating the fact that her father was trapped behind the wall of plexiglass. She wanted nothing more than to hug him and share in her grief with him. She knew that this would be hard on him and hated that he had to endure it alone.

As they made their way out of the prison, Jakob tried his hardest to weasel out what Wilda and their dad had been talking about but their grandmother had remained tight lipped on it all much to their annoyance.

That night, for the first time in a long time, Daniela prayed. She figured that if God took one parent away then surely he could return another to her. She didn't care for how long, just as long as it was enough time for her to be held by her father.

The ridiculousness of the situation wasn't lost on her considering how much she had lambasted God the night before but she was desperate for the love that only a parent could offer and figured that she may as well give it a try.

At the end of her prayer, Daniela laid down on her bed just staring up at the roof. She didn't know if her attempt at bargaining would work but she wished that it would. An itch in her throat caused her to sit up all of a sudden and turn her attention to her closet.

Daniela twisted her mouth before standing and opening the doors. She dug around blindly before her fingertips made contact with what she had been looking for.

Daniela retrieved the bottle of bourbon and uncapped it before taking a long skull. Her throat burned from the liquid but she had grown to enjoy the sensation as well as the warmth of the liquor hitting her belly.

Smiling slightly, Daniela, with the bottle still in hand, returned to her bed in another useless attempt at trying to get some sleep.

/

Ian made his way home, his mind replaying the conversation he'd had with Mandy earlier that day. She had told him about Daniela's visit to her house as well as the reason for the girl's distance. Ian thought it was ridiculous.

Her belief that he would simply forgive his brother was far from the truth. In fact, ever since finding out, Ian had done nothing but ignore Lip, not even when his brother tried to broker some peace.

Hitching the strap of his bag higher up his shoulder, Ian cut through the backyard of his house towards the stairs but came to a stop when he saw Lip occupying them already with a beer in his hand.

Ian's jaw set at the sight of him as Lip finally registered him.

"Hey," he said, nodding his chin in greeting.

Ian didn't say anything back. He hadn't all week. Instead, he simply side-stepped his brother to move up the stairs. He had just reached the door when Lip spoke again.

"Were you just with her?"

Ian rotated to narrow his eyes at his brother who was now stood up and facing him from the bottom of the steps.

"Why do you care?" The harshness of his voice caused Lip to avert his eyes. His lips pursed as he kept his eyes on the ground.

"How is she?"

"I wouldn't know considering she won't talk to me," revealed Ian in annoyance. "And even if I did, I still wouldn't tell you."

Lip flicked his eyes back up to the top of the stairs. "Fiona told me the service is on Saturday."

Ian glared back at him, his lip curling in a scowl. "You're not going."

"Why wouldn't I?"

The redhead scoffed in disbelief, feeling his irritation rise. "Because you fucked Karen!"

Lip climbed one stair as his eyes narrowed. "Would you shut the fuck up?" He hushed causing his brother to laugh wryly.

"What? You don't want them to find out?" He yelled, gesturing to the house. "How _did_ you explain the fact that you haven't been over to comfort your girlfriend- or should I say ex-girlfriend?"

Lip glanced to the side of him as the tick in his jaw increased the more his brother went on. Ian didn't stop.

"Own up to it, Lip!" He moved down the stairs to stand in front of his brother. "You cheated on Ella with some no good skank that doesn't give a shit about you."

"Get the fuck out of my face," warned the older boy in a low voice that made Ian narrow his eyes in challenge.

"What are you gonna do?" Asked the boy, using his height to his advantage. "Go ahead."

Ian grunted at the feeling of being shoved back onto the stairs. He managed to use his hands to soften the fall but once his mind caught up with what had just happened, all he saw was red.

"Motherfucker."

With a roar, he jumped up and tackled Lip to the ground. Fists flew wildly, followed by crunches as both boys wrestled on the ground. Ian groaned when Lip directed a blow at his stomach.

Neither one of them was sure how long it took for them to attract the attention of Fiona who quickly came rushing down the stairs.

"Hey, hey, hey! Quit it, both of you!" The woman hauled Ian up by his arm just as Lip managed to get him off. Her eyes flicked between the two, noting the bloody noses and cut lips. "What the hell is going on here?"

Ian wrenched his arm out of Fiona's grip to send a vicious glare at his brother.

"Ask him."

Fiona's attention moved to Lip who was clutching his stomach in pain. The boy avoided eye contact causing her to tut before turning to see Ian walking away.

"Ian!" She called out but he didn't stop. When she lost sight of him, Fiona sighed before eyeing Lip who was wiping the blood off onto his shirt. Her jaw clenched as she snapped. "Get inside."

Lip massaged his jaw with a wince before following his sister's instructions.

/

Ian kept a steady pace on his way to Daniela's house, his cheek hurting and his fists bruised. With the uninjured one, he banged on the front door of her house. Daniela soon appeared, her lips parting at the sight of him before she took in the blood.

Her eyes darkened with concern. "What the hell happened?"

"I got into it with Lip." She released a breath and shook her head. This was the last thing she wanted happening right now.

"Get inside," she ordered, stepping away to let him in.

Ian followed her into the kitchen where she made him sit at the table while she went to the freezer to grab a bag of frozen peas. He gratefully accepted it before resting the bag against his cheekbone, nearly sighing at the comfort of it.

Daniela remained standing and moved to lean her back against the kitchen counter. "Want some lasagna? Simon's mom keeps sending all this food over."

Ian shook his head. "I'm okay, thanks."

Daniela nodded, her teeth biting down on the inside of her cheek as she continued to observe him. "You shouldn't have done it."

"You didn't think I'd actually let him get away with it did you?" Asked Ian incredulously. His friend simply shook her head.

"No," she admitted. "But I was hoping you'd change your mind."

"Why?" Ian narrowed his eyes at her. "Why are you protecting him after what he did?"

"I'm not," bit back Daniela quickly. She closed her eyes for a moment, regaining composure. "I didn't want you to ruin your relationship with him."

Ian chuckled darkly. "I think he's already fucked that one up."

"Don't say that." The girl frowned at him before moving to take a seat at the table. "You two are so close and I'd hate to think that I was the reason that was ruined."

"But it's not your fault."

Daniela kept quiet, choosing to focus her attention on her fidgeting hands. Ian, seeing this, dropped the bag of peas on the table so that he could shift his chair closer to hers. He leaned forward, brows raised in conviction.

"Ella. It's not your fault."

The girl gulped and he sighed.

"Brother or not, there was no way in hell I was letting him get away with hurting my best friend."

Daniela twitched her nose, feeling her eyes begin to water as her hands curled and uncurled. "I'm sorry for distancing myself from you. I just- I saw the way you acted when you found out what he did and I-"

"Hey," Ian's gentle voice stopped her as he took hold of both of her hands. Her eyes finally met his. "You don't have to explain."

Thankful, Daniela nodded as she tried to get her emotions under control. Ian's eyes roamed over her face and his forehead creased when he noted the bags under her eyes.

"When was the last time you slept?" He asked all of sudden causing her lips to part.

"This afternoon."

"No," he shook his head, not satisfied. "I mean properly slept. Not just 'resting your eyes for a few minutes' sleep."

Daniela simply shrugged. "I can't remember." Her honesty had Ian eyeing her with concern.

Not wanting to linger on the topic, Daniela turned her head. Reluctantly, Ian also let it go before looking to see pamphlets for funeral services spread out on the table.

He dragged one over with his finger to skim his eyes over it. "How's it coming along?"

"I don't know. Jake's planning the whole thing," answered the girl with a shake of her head. She hadn't even flicked through the things herself. They had just sat there for the past week but she knew that her brother had purposely left them out on the table for her to see.

"You didn't want to?"

"Not really."

He decided not to push any further, already knowing that she was in a fragile state as it was, going off of what Mandy had told him.

He sighed before standing from his seat. "I better head back before Fiona decides to come for my head."

Daniela followed behind him to the door, stopping to accept his hug.

"Remember, I'm here for you, okay?" Promised Ian. "Whatever you need."

"Mhm," nodded the girl into the crook of his neck. Her friend placed a kiss to her cheek before pulling away and leaving.

With Ian now gone, the small smile slipped from Daniela's face. She headed back into the kitchen, picking up the bag of peas and putting it back into the freezer. She inhaled deeply and moved to rest her palms on the counter.

Her fingers tapped against the top of it as her lips pursed. Blinking, Daniela quickly ripped open the cupboard door to retrieve what she had quickly hidden away when Ian came banging on her door.

She didn't bother grabbing a cup.

Her shoulders shook with quiet sobs as she took a long gulp and her mouth quivered when she slammed the bottle back down. Daniela wiped at her damp cheeks, before raising the bottle to her lips once again, longing for the dulling effect of the liquor to kick in.

/

Two days passed before the big day finally arrived and much like the entire week prior, Daniela had had little luck in getting any sleep. Instead, she chose to dip into her small supply of booze that had thankfully been replenished after her shift the day before.

Her window had been left open the whole night, something she regretted when she felt the cold carrying through her room. In her tired haze, she had forgotten to close it as she had had it open for when she lit her cigarettes. There had been many, more than she had ever smoked before.

Much of the night had consisted of her lying in bed with her bottle tucked close to her side and a cigarette clenched between two knuckles as she listened to old albums she remembered her mother playing throughout her youth. In between three and seven am she had managed to drift off into a fragile sleep that did little to energize her.

With her head pounding, Daniela got to work laying out her clothes for the service when she was interrupted by a knock on the door that did little to help her headache. Grimacing, the girl twisted to see Jakob standing in her doorway, looking the nicest she had ever seen him.

"Morning," she greeted him, trying her hardest to mask her current hangover. Her skills had been improving.

"Hey. You get much sleep last night?"

She shook her head. "Not really, you?"

Jakob copied her, a grim look on his face as he leaned against the doorway. "Were you listening to music last night?"

"Yeah, sorry if it was too loud."

Instead of appearing angry, Jakob shook his head, a hint of a smile on his face. "No, it was fine. What was it, Selena?"

Daniela nodded, glancing behind her at where the records were placed. "She was always one of mom's favorites."

When she was a kid, Daniela remembered her mother playing her albums non-stop throughout the house whenever she was cooking, cleaning, or just wanting to sing. Her eyes would always light up as she sang along to the words, urging her young daughter to dance along with her.

Both Daniela and Jakob smiled, each remembering the fond memories of their mother. The man twisted his mouth grimly before clearing his throat.

"I'm heading over soon," he told her causing Daniela to drop her eyes. "I need to get there early to make sure everything's okay."

"Alright," nodded Daniela, turning back to her clothes. "I'll text Ian and let him know I'm going with him."

Her answer didn't seem to be what Jakob was looking for as it caused him to sigh. "Dani," he began tentatively. "You should come with me."

Her hands grabbed at her forearms in an attempt to steady herself. She raised her chin slightly, finally meeting her brother's stare. "I'll be fine with Ian."

Noticing that she wasn't going to change her mind, Jakob relented with a short nod to himself.

"Well, okay then. You'll make sure you get there in time?"

"Mhm."

"Okay." He strode towards her and rested his hand on the base of her neck before leaning down to press a kiss to her hair. Daniela closed her eyes, feeling the dizziness begin to overtake her. "I'll see you there."

With one last goodbye, Jakob gathered his things and left. Daniela walked over to her window and peeled back the curtain, waiting for his car to pull away from the curb. Once it had, she let the curtain fall before pivoting on her foot.

Her eyes came to rest on her cell phone plugged into the charger. Blinking, Daniela opted to grab a towel instead before heading into the bathroom. Before she could leave her room, however, an urge pulled her back. She rolled her tongue over her teeth and moved to open her closet to where, behind a few boxes, her private stash was.

With a sigh, she reached for a bottle and tucked it under her arm before heading into the bathroom and shutting the door.

/

Ian took a bite of his pancakes, savoring the taste of it when his phone went off. Dropping his fork, he reached into his pocket and answered it, not bothering to check who it was.

"Hello?"

"Ian, hey. It's Jakob." He recognized the voice of Daniela's older brother but it left him confused as to why he was calling him.

"Yeah, I figured. Is everything okay?" He asked, pushing his plate away. Across from him, Mandy and Ian looked up from their own breakfast. The Milkovich narrowed her eyes, having heard his question.

"Everything's fine. I just wanted to make sure Daniela had called to let you know she was coming with you to the service."

Ian frowned. "Uh…" His eyes flicked between the couple who looked just as confused as he was. Daniela hadn't called him at all. "Yeah, she did," he decided to lie before glancing around at the diner he was sitting in. "We actually just stopped in to get some breakfast first."

"Oh good," replied Jakob in relief. "Do you think you could try to get her here on time? It's just that I need her here a bit earlier."

"Sure, no problem. We'll leave soon."

"Thank you, Ian."

Muttering a goodbye, the redhead ended the call before quickly checking for any new messages.

"Who was that?" Asked Mandy instantly, her eggs and bacon forgotten.

Ian cursed under his breath, seeing that there was nothing new. "Jakob. He wanted to know if Ella was with us."

"Why?" Frowned Simon, taking a sip of his coffee.

"She told him she would be. Did she message any of you?" Both of them pulled out their phones, checking for anything before ultimately shaking their heads.

"Nothing."

"Me neither."

"Shit," muttered Ian as he frantically tried to flag down a waitress. "We need to go."

"What? Why?" Mandy's questions went unanswered as Ian decided to just leave the cash on the table. The others followed suit before heading out the door behind him.

/

The car Mandy had been borrowing from her brothers pulled up outside Daniela's house five minutes later. Once the ignition was off, all three of them piled out of the car and up the front steps.

"Ella!" Called out Ian as he banged his fist on the door. They waited for a few moments before concluding that she hadn't heard them. He grabbed the doorknob and twisted it, testing to see if it was unlocked. Much to their delight, it was.

The door swung open as they headed in, coming to a stop at the base of the stairs.

"Ella!" Ian tried again but to no response. Mandy and Simon branched off in different directions to check the kitchen and the lounge. Suddenly, the boy's eyes widened as his ears caught onto something.

"Does anyone hear running water?"

At Simon's question, the other two's eyes widened and in an instant, they were rushing up the stairs to where the bathroom was.

Ian inched closer to the door before tapping his knuckles against the wood. "Ella? You in there?" He pressed his ear against the door and tried to listen to the sounds of the water.

Moments passed with no response and slowly, dread began to settle into each one of their chests. Not wanting to waste any more time, Simon stepped forward to grab the handle but as he went to turn it, Mandy caught his hand.

He stared at his girlfriend in confusion to which she replied with a pointed look that made him gulp in realization. Running water in a bathroom meant that there was a high chance of Daniela being naked. With a grimace, Simon stepped back, allowing Mandy to come forward and open the door.

The first thing she noticed was the steam that wafted around the room. The thickness in the air unsettled Mandy as she moved further in. What she found caused her to halt completely.

"Oh fuck."

Alert, Ian rushed in behind her, also slowing to a stop when his eyes rested on what she had seen. There, naked and passed out in the shower, was Daniela and not too far from her was a knocked over, almost finished bottle of bourbon. The girl's hair stuck to her face as she lay crumpled against the edge of the bathtub. Her lips were parted as a stream of water rolled over her body.

"Help me get her out," hurried a wide-eyed Ian to Mandy. They both moved towards the tub when he turned to call over his shoulder. "Simon! Get me some towels!"

There was a sound of affirmation from the hallway followed by footsteps running around trying to find the linen cupboard. Mandy twisted the shower off as Ian stepped into the tub and bent down to grab hold of the unconscious girl's legs.

"Grab her shoulders," he ordered. Mandy followed his instructions, managing to grab a firm hold of the girl despite her being all wet. "Okay, you get out first and then me."

Together, the two of them carefully maneuvered her out of the bathtub before resting her against the tiled floor. Mandy looked up when she heard Simon approaching and raised her hand. Simon tossed her the towels before she quickly got to work wrapping them around the girl whose head was now resting on her legs. Her brow furrowed in worry as she watched Ian move beside her.

"Come on, come on," muttered the redhead, tapping Daniela's cheeks gently. When she remained unresponsive, Ian became more adamant. The silence stretched out with the only sound being Ian's worried murmurs.

Mandy stared down at Daniela's face, noting the bump on her head most likely caused by the fall. She felt a presence behind her and looked up to see Simon's grim expression staring down at their friend.

Daniela's eyes shot open with a gasp. Her head swiveled slightly, no doubt feeling a little disoriented. The others breathed a collective sigh of relief as her vision focused on seeing her friends staring down at her worriedly.

With a groan, she pushed herself up with her elbows as Mandy moved to give her some space. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Your brother called," responded Simon, his tone conveying his continued concern.

Daniela's eyes clenched shut. Of course, Jakob had called them.

"I was going to call," she began to defend herself but was waved off by Ian who checked his watch.

"We need to get you ready." Daniela blinked, suddenly realizing that her mother's funeral was set to begin shortly.

Both Ian and Simon helped to haul her to her feet before guiding her to her room. Her knees wobbled as her head tried to reorientate itself. The effects of the alcohol were still there. Thankfully, she had been wise enough to prepare her outfit in advance otherwise she was sure it would've taken them even longer to get her ready.

"I'll take it from here," said Mandy, coming to stand in front of Daniela. The boys nodded as they urged the girl to take a seat on her bed. With one last look at her, they made their way out before Mandy shut the door on them.

Daniela just stayed put. Her hands gripped the edge of the towel tightly, pulling it closer around her. Mandy moved silently around her, going to her dresser to retrieve some underwear. Neither brought up what had just happened.

Daniela wasn't even sure what to think of it herself. She remembered how good the pressure of the water had felt against her skin and the buzz from the alcohol that warmed her up even more. She remembered how relaxing it had been to just forget for a moment all of the shit that was happening in her life.

It had probably been a little too relaxing because, when paired with the lack of sleep she had been getting, it caused her eyes to drift shut and the next thing she knew she had blacked out. She didn't even know she had fallen until she woke up and felt the pain on the crown of her head.

At the thought of it, her hand poked out of the towel. Tentatively, her finger traced along her scalp until she winced when she was met with the developing bump.

It took her a second to realize Mandy was stood in front of her, eyeing her patiently.

"Up," she said, gesturing with two fingers. Daniela cleared her throat and slowly rose from the bed. Her hands just managed to catch the underwear tossed her way.

Mandy gave her a pointed look before turning on her heel and crossing her arms. Daniela hesitated a moment before quickly drying herself off and slipping the underwear and bra on.

Mandy chanced a look over her shoulder, seeing that she was done and moved to the bed to pick up the black dress the other girl had laid out. Understanding what she was implying, Daniela got to work pulling it on.

"Sit," ordered the Milkovich as she headed to where the other girl's limited supply of makeup was. After perusing through her options, she returned with what she wanted and a hairbrush which she soon held out to Daniela.

The girl took it and began working it through her wet hair. She winced as the bristles scraped against the bump. As she continued to brush, Mandy began work on making her look less pale than she currently was as well as paying extra attention to the bags under her eyes.

A knock at the door caught both of their attentions.

"You decent?" Called Ian, his voice muffled through the barrier.

Daniela cleared her throat. "Come in," she said, her voice still hoarse.

Ian and Simon soon piled into the room, each happy to see that she was beginning to look a bit more normal thanks to the help of Mandy. Daniela's eyes moved to the nearby mirror to check the progress and was happily surprised that she had chosen to stick to Daniela's more natural style as opposed to her usual preference of eyeliner.

Still, what Mandy was unable to cover up was the utter blankness on her face. It shocked even Daniela who had trouble believing it was really her reflection. Her eyes were hollow and distant as well as red.

Ian also noticed this and it caused him to offer her a thin smile as she turned back to them. Stepping forward, he offered out a glass of water and some ibuprofen.

"For the headache," He simply said, no doubt knowing how she felt. Daniela took them without a word, downing them easily.

"Your brother called again," continued Simon as she gulped them down. Her eyes flicked up. "We need to leave now."

A dread seeped into her chest. She wished for the floor to root her feet to the ground so that she wouldn't have to go. So that she wouldn't have to say goodbye. She had done enough of that already.

Mandy inched back, having finished her job. Daniela looked at the mirror again, urging herself to attempt to look even just a little bit happier. Then she remembered that she was going to bury her mother and that she had a right to look depressed.

She rose from the bed, thanking Simon who held out her coat for her. On their way out of her room, she also grabbed a pair of dark sunglasses to help hide her red, swollen eyes. Her fingers massaged her temples as they headed down the stairs and she wished for the pills to hurry up and take effect.

Daniela locked the door behind her, trying her best to prolong the inevitable as much as possible. Turning, she followed the others down the front steps, stopping to frown at the unfamiliar car parked by the curb.

"My brother's letting me borrow it for the day," supplied Mandy when she saw her confusion. With a nod, Daniela got into the back with Ian as Mandy and Simon took the front.

The ride to the funeral home was silent until Simon decided to switch the radio on in the hopes that it would ease everyone out. Daniela barely noticed it as she was far too busy in her own thoughts. There was a numbness to her that left her craving the blistering shower that left her skin hot and red. Amongst that, she also craved the bottle of bourbon she had left there.

She realized very suddenly that they would've definitely noticed it when they came in and the thought caused her to feel a deep sadness. Her secret was out. Of course, she didn't know this for sure. They could've been too busy trying to resuscitate her to see it but it had been in clear sight.

As if sensing her thoughts, the girl felt something rest over her hand. Tearing her gaze from the window, Daniela looked down to see Ian's hand covering hers. Her eyes lingered on it before her thumb slowly worked its way around his.

Ian squeezed her hand in reassurance as her eyes finally met his. Her brows furrowed slightly in thought before it was gone, replaced with the blank look that had become the norm for her.

She drew in a long breath when they pulled up at the funeral home. Three pairs of eyes fell on her as she continued to stare out at the small congregation of people waiting outside the building. Amongst them was Jakob who kept checking his watch.

Mustering up whatever courage she had left, Daniela slipped her sunglasses on and got out. The other three followed closely behind.

"We'll be here if you need it," assured Ian, leaning closer to her as they approached the young man. Daniela nodded, thankful that she had them.

Jakob's eyes finally caught her and they widened. "There you are!" He breathed in relief, speeding up to stand in front of her. His eyes raked over her, taking in her damp hair and the dark sunglasses.

"What took you so long?" He asked thought it lacked any signs of scolding. Instead, he appeared concerned as he grabbed her shoulders. "You okay?"

Daniela simply nodded, not trusting herself enough to speak without giving everything away. Through the safety of her tinted glasses, she flicked her eyes around the area to take in those in attendance.

Katherine stood nearby talking to Kev and Veronica. Beside them was the rest of the Gallagher family though Daniela noted that Lip wasn't with them. She wasn't sure if she was relieved or disappointed.

The others were people she vaguely recognized but none brought any names to mind. Some she remembered visiting her mother when she was in the hospital while a couple others were ex-employees at her dad's auto shop.

"We were waiting for you to get here," revealed Jakob, effectively pulling her attention back to observe his sober expression. "So you could see her before the others came in."

"Oh," mumbled Daniela, unsure of what to say. She suddenly felt bad for making all of these people wait. Jakob watched her before nodding his head towards the doors.

"Let's go."

Daniela nodded, glancing over her shoulder to her friends. Simon gave her a reassuring smile as Ian maintained that solid comfort for her.

Daniela followed her brother through the building, eyes flicking around at the paintings on the walls. She was glad that he had decided to go with this place instead of the church. Hesitantly, she reached up for her sunglasses before folding them and slipping them into her pocket.

As they came to the viewing room, Daniela swallowed, her throat suddenly very dry. Her eyes latched onto the coffin placed at the front of the room as well as her grandmother who was sat in her wheelchair in front of it.

She didn't realize she had stopped walking until Jakob had to physically urge her along.

"Grandma," he called out as they drew nearer. The elderly woman's attention moved to them and her face softened when she spotted her granddaughter.

"Oh, you made it!"

Daniela managed an apologetic smile as she bent down to kiss the woman's cheek. "Sorry, I'm late."

"Not to worry, dear. Not to worry." Reaching out, Wilda took hold of Daniela's hand and clasped it tightly between her own. Her thumb rubbed over the younger girl's skin comfortingly.

"Come look," said Wilda, gently pulling her forward. Daniela's breath hitched in her throat when her eyes finally came to rest on her mother. "She looks beautiful doesn't she?"

Daniela couldn't help but agree. It was the closest to normal she had seen her mother look in years. There were no tubes, no wires, just her. Jakob had done a great job with choosing her clothes. She recognized her mother's favorite purple dress and smiled.

"She looks peaceful," commented Daniela to herself but the others heard and nodded in agreement.

The three stood there for a few moments just admiring Camille before they were interrupted by someone clearing their throat.

"Sorry to interrupt," apologized the funeral planner with a kind smile. "Are we ready to begin?"

Jakob nodded. "Yes, we're-"

"Actually," interrupted Wilda. "We're waiting on one more."

The planner nodded cordially before exiting the room leaving Jakob and Daniela to frown down at their grandmother.

"Who?"

/

Outside, Ian huddled around with Simon and Mandy to talk about the morning's events.

"I didn't even know she was drinking," spoke Ian, shocked that she had managed to keep it under everyone's noses for this long.

Mandy shrugged beside him, her arms crossed. "She's good at hiding it. Besides, her mom just died and her relationship is over, she has a reason to."

Simon shook his head, also bewildered by the out of character behavior. "She lied to her brother about being with us. Why?"

"Probably because she couldn't handle it," surmised Ian thinking back to the times he had interacted with her recently. "All week she's avoided any talk about what happened. She didn't want anything to do with the funeral plans."

"This isn't good," said Simon, chewing on the skin around his nail. "We can't leave her alone."

"We can't hover over her either," argued Mandy. "Otherwise she'll just push us away too."

Ian nodded in agreement as he noticed another vehicle turning up behind them. It seemed he wasn't the only one as everyone else shifted around to peek at who had arrived so late.

Ian's eyes- along with many others, he was sure -widened when he saw who it was.

"Is that...?"

Mandy's question went unanswered as the others gaped at the tall, broad-shouldered figure who emerged from the car clad in a well-fitted suit.

Lawrence adjusted the lapels of his suit, feeling the shocked stares of everybody drilling into him.

* * *

Don't you just love cliffhangers? *cackles maniacally*

Also, I always enjoyed the idea of Camille loving Selena Quintanilla and roping her daughter into it as well. Selena was always one of my favorites and I had no doubt that with them also being Hispanic, that they would love her too.

 _Special thanks to_ Gina-B-ookworm, guest (1,2,3,4 &5), Leah Tatyana Nicole, mchurch1992, wickedgrl123, Isabeux3, youthed, Raging Raven, Mia, RHatch89, 13teen, x NikiSt x, SweetRiceball20, Naruhina1519, and xenocannan for reviewing; the 28 who followed, and the 14 who favorited!

 **REVIEW!**


	36. Order Room Service Pt2

**Chapter 36.**

I know it's been a long time but things have been really hectic lately and probably will continue to be for another month or so. It's not a very long chapter but like I said in the last one, it was getting to be a bit long so I cut it up into two parts. Plus I really like cliffhangers.

Also, great news! This story has surpassed 100k views which is more than I ever thought I would achieve so thanks a bunch for that.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Shameless.

* * *

Lawrence heaved a sigh as he felt the eyes of everyone else fall onto him. Out the corner of his eye, he noticed his parole officer making his way around to stand beside him.

"For the next 6 hours, you're a free man, Kaufman," declared the officer before sternly adding. "Don't fuck it up. Make the most out of this time with your family."

Lawrence simply nodded in return. His eyes moved around the group of people hanging around, noting many familiar faces who seemed both genuinely happy and shocked to see him there.

Self-consciously, he adjusted his suit jacket before making his way towards the doors of the funeral home. His feet slowed to a stop when he saw three people walking out.

Jakob was in the process of wheeling his grandmother out when his path was blocked by Daniela's heels. His mouth opened to tell her to move when he finally glanced up only to have the wind knocked right out of him.

Daniela was sure that she was hallucinating. Surely it couldn't be real. Her mind tried to remember exactly what she had taken that morning, searching for any particular illicit drugs she may have consumed by accident.

But no. There he was.

She blinked furiously, just in case but there the man continued to stand, just as breathless as she was, watching her every move.

Lawrence's eyes never wavered from his daughter as she took a shaky step towards him followed by another and another until she was merely a foot away from him.

Her hazel eyes were wide with wonder as well as confusion. Above it all, he could pick out the watery sheen that covered them.

"Dad?"

The word was spoken so quietly and so full of hesitation that Lawrence felt his own voice grow thick.

"Hey, baby girl."

Within a second, Daniela had closed the distance between the two, her arms wrapping around her father's midriff. She clung tightly to him, afraid that if she didn't take hold of him as much as possible that he'd disintegrate.

Five long seconds passed in which no such thing happened.

"How is this real?" She asked more to herself than him but he heard anyways. The vibration of his soft laughter reverberated onto her cheek.

Lawrence stroked his daughter's hair, holding her close to him. It was the first time he had hugged her in twelve years and he wasn't likely to let go anytime soon.

"You're here?" Said a shocked Jakob who was now standing a foot behind them.

Daniela slowly unfurled herself from her father before moving to the side so they could share a long embrace. Lawrence clapped his son on the back, holding him just as tightly as he had with Daniela.

The girl watched, feeling the closest thing to happiness she had managed to experience in the last few weeks. Beside her, she noticed her grandmother appear.

"I still don't get how this is happening right now," continued Jakob, sounding more choked up as he took a step back to marvel at his father's presence. "How?"

"You can thank your grandmother for that," answered Lawrence smoothly, casting a look over his son's shoulder to where the woman sat watching them contently. Both Jakob and Daniela's heads whipped to frown at Wilda.

"I told him that during these sort of situations, cases can be made to allow prisoners the ability to attend their loved one's funeral," she explained as her son moved to stand in front of her. "He just needed to stay on good behavior while the arrangements were made."

Realization dawned on Daniela's face as she shared a look with her brother. So that was what the pair had been talking about when they went to visit him. Everything made sense now.

"Hey, ma." The man leaned down to press a kiss to his mother's cheek. Wilda's arms came to wrap around him and her eyes fell shut with a soft sigh, no doubt happy to have her son in her arms once again.

Lawrence righted himself to see Wilda's stern look. "You're late."

Lawrence chuckled under his breath and gestured to himself. "Yeah, I had to go get a suit. Didn't really want to show up in my prison gear."

Wilda rolled her eyes though she still wore a smile on her face. She nodded her head towards the doors where the funeral planner stood waiting.

"I think we're ready to start now."

/

Lip made sure to arrive well after the service had begun. He knew that if he were to come earlier, there would be a greater chance of him getting kicked off of the property either by his brother or Daniela herself and so, he found himself quietly slipping in during Jakob's speech.

He took a seat in the back row and settled in. Jakob stood at the front of the room in front of the casket and beside a picture of Camille. Lip had only met the woman a handful of times, mainly when he came to pick Daniela up at the hospital when she went without her brother. During those times, he hadn't lingered for long.

As his eyes roamed over the picture of the woman, he saw just how alike the two looked. At the thought, Lip's attention faded to Daniela, or more accurately, the back of her head. He could just make out where she was sitting through the shoulders of the people in front of him.

Her head was tilted downwards, most likely staring down at her fingers but every now and again, she would glance up at her brother, giving Lip a glimpse at her face. Everything else blurred around him as his eyes continued to stick on the girl who spared a look at the unfamiliar man sitting beside her.

With Jakob's speech coming to a conclusion, the service also came to end meaning that it was now time for the part Daniela had been dreading the most; the burial. But first, she had to greet the guests.

"Lovely service."

"Very well done."

"Your mother would be so proud of you two."

"That was a beautiful photo of her. Really captures her youth."

Throughout it all, Daniela slapped on a fake smile, laughing along and thanking them for coming. As another guest said their farewells, the girl glanced around the area to check how many more of these things she'd have to endure. She froze when her eyes collided with Lip's.

His unwavering stare kept her rooted to the spot so much so that she couldn't find it in herself to look away from his piercing eyes. Daniela hadn't been expecting him to come though, as she thought about it, she figured that she really should have.

Her brow furrowed slightly in concern at seeing the cuts and bruises on his face, no doubt the work of Ian. There was a deep cut on his upper lip that looked painful as well as some gnarly bruising under his eye. She fought the urge to tend to him like a loving nurse.

Lip looked about ready to approach her when she found him disappearing behind Ian who was now stood in front of her with Mandy and Simon.

"I warned him not to come," muttered an aggravated Ian into her ear, pulling her in for a quick hug. Daniela simply shook her head as she pulled away, thankful that his body was blocking her sight of Lip.

"It's okay. As long as he stays where he is and doesn't cause any trouble."

"He better not," snapped Mandy, her narrowed eyes turning to rest on Lip. Simon nodded in agreement.

Though she was more than thankful for the three of them, the last thing Daniela wanted was an angry Milkovich hanging around and was in the process of her calming her down when she noticed the rest of the Gallagher crew approaching.

A genuine smile fell onto her face, seeing that they were kind enough to wait till the rest of the guests had gone before coming to see her.

"Ella," breathed Fiona sadly, pulling her into a tight hug. Her hand cradled the back of Daniela's head making the whole thing feel very motherly. The woman let out a ragged breath before standing back to look the girl over. Daniela had no doubt that she looked terrible.

Fiona seemed to notice it too but was kind enough to not touch on it. "We're so sorry. I know these last few weeks have been shitty for you but remember that we're always here, okay? No matter what might have happened."

The last part of her sentence was uttered more quietly and Daniela felt a pang in her chest at the realization that she had an idea about what had happened between her and Lip.

"Thank you," she replied genuinely as Fiona stepped to the side to make room for the little ones to give her a similar treatment.

Debbie held on the longest, something Daniela appreciated seeing as the younger girl's hugs always managed to cheer her up.

After her came Kev and Veronica who promised her a free drink the next time she stopped by the Alibi. Daniela was sure to take them up on their offer.

As the last of the conversations were had, Daniela heard someone clear their throat and turned her attention to Jakob who interrupted apologetically.

"We're going to head over to the cemetery now," he whispered to her.

The corner of the girl's mouth turned downwards and she nodded in return. Sensing that they were on their way, the Gallagher crew slowly said their goodbyes and left.

Ian hung back slightly as they made their way past Lip who had been stood to the side watching all of them with a cigarette in hand. His eyes were currently on Daniela who was getting into her brother's truck when he heard Mandy's voice.

"Asshole," she spat, her arm looped with Simon's. Lip didn't bother responding to them. His gaze found his brother's who looked at him stone-faced for a moment before continuing past with a scoff.

Lip's eyes dropped to his feet before returning to watch Daniela leave the funeral home. When the truck was finally out of sight, he squashed his cigarette with his foot before heading home.

/

The private burial was quite possibly the most depressing thing Daniela had ever experienced. Throughout it all, she had lingered slightly behind everyone, her tinted sunglasses fastened securely over the bridge of her nose.

The remainder of her family had chosen to crowd around the burial plot, their faces morose and full of grief. Daniela could only bare to look at it for so long.

As the casket was lowered into the ground, she found her gaze flicking away to a tree across the cemetery. Her lips pursed at the tight feeling of pressure pressing down on her chest. It grew heavier with each second that her mother was laid into the ground to rest.

A quiet sniffle drew her attention towards her father whose large hand was wrapped around hers. Daniela's heart clenched watching the pain splayed out across her father's features. His green eyes were now red-rimmed and he pinched the bridge of his nose to expel any tears.

Twisting her mouth, Daniela gently squeezed his hand. The man glanced down at her, his lips folding before a solid arm wound its way around her shoulders, pulling her against his side so that he could drop a kiss to her hair. Daniela winced slightly, feeling him graze against the fresh bump she had collected that morning.

Once the body had been lowered and the grave filled, the family loitered around for a little while with most readying to say any final goodbyes they couldn't muster up during the service.

Daniela didn't partake in it.

Instead, she chose to stroll casually through the other headstones in an attempt to busy herself.

She knew her father would be a while and she didn't blame him.

Finally, after fifteen minutes, she heard her name being called and glanced over her shoulder to see a red-eyed Jakob gesturing for her to come back. With a small huff, Daniela returned to where they were, making an extra effort to keep her mother's grave out of her line of sight.

"Dad said he has a couple more hours so we're going to go and get something to eat," he said, his eyes flicking over to the car where her father's parole officer was standing.

Daniela nodded. "Okay."

They all found themselves at a decent-looking diner about ten minutes from the cemetery. As they all sat down to eat, Daniela's stomach grumbled signifying her hunger. She hadn't consumed much in the last 24 hours other than booze and two ibuprofen so to suddenly be surrounded by the smells of food was a great reminder that she actually had to eat.

When the orders came, however, she had to bite down on her tongue to refrain from asking the waitress for a stiff drink. The greasy food definitely helped her budding hangover though which she was thankful for as she scarfed down some bacon and pancakes.

Across from her, Lawrence seemed to be having the time of his life as he tucked into his food like he'd never eaten before.

"Damn," he sighed after swallowing a mouthful of eggs. "You forget how good this stuff is until you're forced to eat prison food for twelve years."

The rest of them shared a small laugh before continuing with their meals.

"It must be so strange," wondered Daniela aloud. Her eyes raised to meet her father's inquisitive ones. "Being out after all these years."

He nodded. "It is, and I'm sure so much has changed that I wouldn't know how to handle."

"So," began Lawrence once again. "How's school been going for you, Dani?"

The girl stiffened slightly, her fork poking at the eggs on her plate. "Well, I'm finished now so…"

Her father's eyes widened as he wiped his mouth with a napkin. "Shit, really? So I guess that means you're looking towards college now."

"Uh, yeah. The school guidance counselor helped me out with some applications." It had dawned on Daniela that she hadn't actually talked with her father about college yet, nor had she told him what her career choice was.

"That's great, and what are you thinking of doing?"

Daniela cleared her throat hesitantly. "Well, I was looking towards nursing. You know, because of mom."

A silence fell over the table and she hated that she was the one that caused it. Her eyes flitted to each person who had now paused in their eating. Wilda carefully sipped on her coffee.

Anxious to move the conversation along, Daniela shrugged it off. "But I don't really know if they'll even take me."

"Of course they will," refuted Lawrence instantly, frowning at his daughter. "They'd be idiots not to."

Daniela's eyes fell to her plate, a small smile pulling at her lips.

The rest of their meal passed by pleasantly and Daniela relished in the time she got to spend with her father. It was the first time they had truly spent any time together, even before he went to jail.

The current topic of conversation had turned to her father and Jakob discussing his new career choice as well as Katherine who he had briefly interacted with at the service.

"She seems like a nice woman," commented Lawrence with approval making Jakob nod in agreement, a grin on his face.

"She is."

"Yeah, I still don't know why she's with Jake," frowned Daniela, sounding genuine which then caused Lawrence to crack a smile at the expense of his son.

The smile dimmed, however, when his eyes caught onto the parole officer making his way towards their table. With an apologetic look, he cleared his throat.

"I think it's time we head back."

Lawrence was silent for a moment before nodding. Heaving a sigh, he raised his eyebrows at his family and stood up. Jakob quickly called for the bill as the others filed out of the diner out onto the sidewalk where the car was waiting.

At the sight of it, Daniela's face visibly deflated. Seeing this, Lawrence tsked under his breath before motioning for her to come forward. She did and was soon enveloped in a tight embrace. She held onto him, not wanting to let go.

"Whatever happens with college," began her father softly. "I want you to know how proud I am of you. You're strong and beautiful just like your mother and I know that whatever you decide to do, she'll be there with you every step of the way."

Feeling the burning sting of tears in her eyes, Daniela simply nodded into her father's chest unsure if she could trust herself to say anything without breaking down into a pool of tears.

"I love you, Dani."

With that, the first tear fell followed by more until she was having trouble breathing properly. Lawrence, feeling her shoulders shake simply pulled her closer to his chest, savoring the moment.

When they finally pulled apart, Daniela saw that she wasn't the only one who had been crying. Her father's face held the telltale signs as placed a final kiss to her hair.

Stepping back, Daniela saw that Jakob had returned and was standing beside his grandmother's wheelchair waiting to say goodbye.

Lawrence moved to his son before doing the same thing he had done with Daniela.

"Take care of your sister," he told him to which Jakob nodded.

"I will."

"Good man." Lawrence pulled back to clap his son the back before bending down to hug and kiss his mother who held her son for as long as she could.

With the goodbyes having been said, the man released a long breath and moved over to the passenger side of the door. Daniela moved to stand beside her brother, who wrapped his arm around her, as they watched their father send them one final wave before the car inevitably pulled away.

She wiped at her eyes, hating that she had to say goodbye to yet another parent.

When Daniela returned home later that afternoon, she was completely drained; mentally, physically and emotionally. With a passing comment to Jakob, she headed up the stairs before collapsing in bed. Her hands fisted into her warm comforter, pulling it around her frame sluggishly.

The pounding in her head had resurfaced, causing her to grimace in pain as her stomach twisted with nausea. Smacking her lips together, Daniela buried her head into her pillow, and not thirty seconds later, she was fast asleep.

/

Daniela wasn't sure how long she had been out for when she finally awoke. Her eyes blinked open as she blearily glanced in the direction of her window to see that it was pitch black outside. However long it was, it was the best she had managed to get in a night for the whole week.

Feeling oddly rejuvenated, Daniela rose from her bed, cringing at the taste in her mouth that occurred whenever she would have a nap. She wiped a hand over her face before padding down the stairs into the kitchen to get herself a glass of water.

She sighed at the taste; the water managing to taste sweeter than usual. Daniela tipped the small remnants back into the sink before her eyes traveled around the empty kitchen.

It seemed that the day's events hadn't yet managed to settle in completely. The thought that she had actually been able to hug her father for the first time in twelve years was still bizarre to her.

Absently, a hand reached up to graze along her hairline, her lips turning downwards once she was met with the swollen bump. Tentatively, Daniela applied a small amount of pressure to see how much of the pain she could handle until she gave up and her hand fell back to her side.

Not feeling like going back to bed yet, Daniela grabbed a coat off of the rack by the front door and slipped outside where she was met with a pleasant chill that filled her lungs soothingly. Huffing slightly, she took a seat on the top step of her front porch. Her hands pulled the sides of the coat tighter around her body as she faced her attention on the sky.

In Chicago, thanks to all of the lights of the city, Daniela never truly got to see the large expanse of stars up glistening in the sky but she had always enjoyed staring up at whatever she could glimpse. It calmed her and there were constellations she could always spot such as Ursa Major and Ursa Minor.

She wasn't sure how long she had been staring up at them when she finally realized she wasn't alone anymore.

Slowly, her eyes dropped to the figure standing only a few feet from her, feeling the breath catch in her throat.

Lip stood watching her somewhat hesitantly, now bereft of his suit and it was with a small surprise that Daniela realized she was still wearing her black dress. At the thought, she now wanted nothing than to tear it off of her body and be rid of it.

Her gaze lingered on him a moment longer, her brow furrowing slightly as to why he was even there. Pursing her lips, she returned her attention to the stars.

Deeming her response - or lack thereof - as enough of a pass for him to continue, Lip cleared his throat before moving to join her on the front porch. Daniela inhaled sharply when she felt his shoulder brush against hers. Righting herself, she focused her attention on the sky, not unaware of Lip's gaze on her.

Just the thought of him watching her caused her chest to pound and a warmth to fill her traitorous belly. She bit down her lip in an attempt to quell it. Tossing Lip a quick sideways glance, she saw that his eyes were still on her. There was something swirling around inside of them but she didn't bother trying to distinguish it.

A breeze carried past them, causing Daniela's skin to develop goosebumps that had her pulling the coat around her shoulders even tighter. Seeing an opportunity, she also used this time to angle herself slightly away from him.

Lip glumly took note of this. He hated that he had done this to her. He hated that she felt she couldn't open herself up to him anymore. Honestly, he was surprised she had even let him join her in the first place. At the service, he could understand her letting him stay simply because she wanted to avoid any disputes but now it was just the two of them.

Lip took it as a positive sign. Clearing his throat, he slowly rubbed his hands together in an attempt to warm them.

"I'm sorry."

Emotion flashed over Daniela's face as she pressed her lips together, still refusing to tear her eyes away from the stars. Despite her solid front, Lip could see the cracks in her appearance. Her jaw was clenched and he could see the indentations along her jawline.

He shifted closer so that their sides were glued together but Daniela continued not to do anything. Briefly, her eyes flicked down to his knee which was now pressed against hers. She inhaled through her nose before bending her neck so that her face was angled away from him.

"Daniela," Lip whispered, his voice just above a whisper. Her forehead creased as he watched her eyes glaze over. Tentatively, his hand moved from resting on his thigh to cover hers.

A shocked gasp fell from her lips; maybe because of how cold his hand was or because she was actually surprised that he would do such a thing. Lip's fingers laced with hers as both pairs of eyes fell to their intertwined hands.

Glancing up, Lip caught the broken look on Daniela's face before noting the quivering bottom lip which was indication enough that she was on the verge of breaking down. He grazed his thumb over her knuckles, reminiscent of all the times she did it to him whenever he was stressed out or angry.

With his other hand, Lip reached over to place his fingers under her chin, bringing her eyes up to meet his. Daniela clenched them shut and tried to drop her head forward but Lip was having none of it. A thumb grazed her cheek as she felt herself lean into the palm of his hand.

Her face creased as she felt the sob build in the back of her throat before finally unleashing itself. No sooner after the first tear had fallen did she find herself being pulled into Lip's chest, her arms winding around him willingly as she collapsed against him in a fit of sobs.

Her hands fisted into the back of his shirt, feeling her tears dampen the fabric but he continued to hold her.

"I'm so sorry," he murmured, kissing the side of her head. His hand rubbed her back in comfort, feeling an ache in his chest at seeing her so broken.

Daniela wasn't sure which part he was apologizing for but in that moment she couldn't find it in herself to care. This was what she had been desperately craving for the past two weeks. Comfort, home, _him_. She didn't want to let that go.

Like cold water pouring over her head, Daniela's mind reminded her of what had transpired between the two of them- more importantly, him and Karen. It was enough for her to retract herself from him. A part of her regretted it instantly.

Lip's hands quickly found the sides of her face and his thumb wiped at her stray tears. His eyes were soft and warm on her.

"Hey," he soothed, reading her actions differently. Daniela's eyes fell shut, feeling the lump in her throat growing. "It's okay."

She made a small whimpering sound as Lip leaned his face closer to hers, eyebrows raised seriously.

"Ella," he said again, trying to gain her attention. All she could muster was locking her eyes with him for a single second before they fell to rest on his shirt. "I'm sorry."

Lip's thumb swept over her cheek with more determination this time. He swallowed before continuing. "About everything. If you'd just let me, I can make it up to you-"

"Stop," interrupted Daniela, her voice quiet as it cracked on the single word. Her jaw clenched beneath his hand and her eyes drifted shut for a moment before finally looking at him.

Daniela shook her head, giving Lip a chance to finally see the utter grief and sadness she was feeling. He wanted nothing more than to comfort her.

"Not today," she carried on, voice thick with emotion. "Please."

After a moment, Lip nodded dejectedly and lowered his hands. Daniela positioned herself away from him instantly, clamping her hands together to stop the temptation she felt to reach out to him. He kept his eyes trained on her, watching as she placed her head in her hands, effectively blocking him out.

Lip, seeing the slumping of her shoulders, reached out to take hold of her again when she flinched away from his touch. It was enough to stall his movements before dropping the limb by his side again. Daniela's jaw was clenched so tightly she was surprised her teeth hadn't shattered.

"Ella."

"Please," she hiccupped. "Leave."

"Dani-"

"Go, Lip," she repeated more forcefully this time. Her head raised slightly to cast him a sideways look.

He debated ignoring her plea altogether but ultimately decided to give in. Before leaving, however, he gently slung an arm around her shoulders, pulling her towards him.

Ever so softly, Lip pressed his mouth against her hair, the kiss lingering for three long moments. Pulling away, he sighed under his breath before standing and walking down the footpath. He paused one final time to glance over his shoulder at Daniela who still had her head in her hands. His mouth twisting, he grudgingly made his way home.

Sensing his disappearance, Daniela finally allowed the stream of tears to fall. Her shoulders shook violently and her lungs gasped for breath with each heart-wrenching sob. She cupped a hand over her mouth to try and muffle it.

She had been so close. So very close to giving into him. How Daniela had wanted nothing more than to just melt into his body and feel his arms wrap around her like a blanket protecting her from the rest of the world. It killed her that she couldn't have that anymore.

The fact of the matter was that no matter how badly he had managed to hurt her with his actions, Daniela was still in love with him - and he had broken her.

She wasn't sure if she would ever be over it.

When her sobs died down to a few intermittent hiccups, Daniela inhaled the crisp air to help calm her beating heart. She wiped at her cheeks, feeling the sudden burn at the back of her throat calling her attention.

Leaving her thoughts behind her, Daniela stood and headed inside in search of her amber colored friend.

/

The next morning, Daniela found herself at home alone. Jakob had finally returned to work and with her done with school, she found that she had nothing to do. Ian and Mandy were busy until three and Simon had classes of his own to attend.

She was bored shitless.

She was in the process of adding some alcohol to her morning coffee when she heard the knock at the door. Frowning, Daniela left her mug on the counter before going to see who it was.

The door opened to reveal Mr. Healey who smiled kindly at her as her eyes settled on him. Her surprise must have been evident because it caused the older man to chuckle under his breath.

"Morning, Miss Kaufman."

"Mr. Healey," she nodded in greeting before crossing her arms. "I wasn't expecting your visit."

"Naturally," he smiled. "I just came to drop something off." The man reached into his coat before retrieving what looked to be a scroll of paper. The corner of his eyes crinkled as he grinned at the item.

Daniela accepted it, still somewhat surprised. Realizing what it was, she slowly rolled it open to see her diploma certifying that she had finished high school. Her eyes raked over it, taking in every detail. There was a dull sense of achievement buried under the rest of her emotions.

"Figured you might want that," said Healey, gaining her attention once more. "You could frame it if you want."

The ghost of a smile painted Daniela's face. "Thanks, Mr. Healey. For all the help you've been this year."

The man waved it off and pointed at the diploma. "No need to thank me. Any day I get to hand a kid one of those is a good one." Daniela huffed a breathy laugh as he continued. "I've been in touch with a few of my contacts at the colleges I helped you apply to."

The girl's eyes widened at the mention of college. With everything that had been going on, it had slipped to the back of her mind save for the brief conversation she had had with her father about it.

"The admission letters will be sent out by the end of the month," announced the man with a twinkle in his eye. "I've heard good things."

That new piece of information had Daniela's nerves skyrocketing. She swallowed hard. The thought of being accepted into a decent college was one that had seemed unattainable given how behind she had been with her admissions.

Clearing his throat, Healey adjusted his shoulders; a signal of his impending departure.

"I wish you all the luck," he said offering her one last smile. Daniela simply nodded in return.

"Thank you again."

"No worries, kid." With that, he was quickly retreating to his car.

Daniela waited for his car to pull away from the curb before heading inside. Taking a deep breath, she opened the diploma to read it again. Her mouth twisted down at it as her feet carried her back into the kitchen.

Glancing up, she spotted her cup of coffee and bourbon resting where she had left it. With the diploma quickly discarded to the table, Daniela grabbed her cup and took a sip before heading back upstairs to her room.

* * *

Finally, we got to see a bit of Lip and Daniela as well as Lawrence, yay! Next chapter is full of a lot of important decisions.

Let me know what you thought and what you think Daniela should do!

 _Special thanks to_ xenocanaan, SweetRiceball20, 13teen, RHatch89, Leah Tatyana Nicole, freeminds4all, mchurch1992, Naruhina1519, Guest, x NikiSt x, Raging Raven, Isabeaux3, MyNameIsAngel, LadyAnnikki for reviewing, the 19 who followed, and the 13 who favorited!

 **REVIEW!**


	37. Survival of the Fittest

**Chapter 37.**

For the sake of this story, I pushed Mickey's wedding back a bit. Also, this chapter might seem a bit rushed but I just really wanted to get onto Season 4 so apologies if the pacing is a bit strange.

Enjoy!

 **Also** the first ten chapters of this are posted up on Wattpad now. I'll eventually get around to putting up the rest of them. The link is in my bio.

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shameless.

* * *

In the month that had passed since her mother's funeral, a lot of things had happened. Jimmy had decided to fall off of the face of the earth much to the displeasure of everyone who thought he was finally getting his shit together. Daniela's relationship with her brother had become more fractured due to her recently distant nature. He, of course, wasn't happy about it but was kind enough to not press her on the issue.

Mickey had finally tied the knot with his knocked-up Russian whore which had resulted in Ian getting flat-out wasted at the reception before Mandy dragged him out, and ever since the small moment they had shared on the front porch of her house, Lip had become more insistent that they try to work things out. Daniela, on the other hand, didn't have the mental or emotional capacity to deal with that hurdle and so left it alone.

But the biggest development would have to have been the three bodyguards she had collected. Ever since her small slip-up the morning of her mother's service, Mandy, Simon, and Ian had made it their personal mission to keep an eye on her to make sure she didn't do it again.

It had started off very hesitantly, with Ian taking the first watch. Though he was sure that she wouldn't think much of it, Daniela quickly caught onto what they were doing. During the days when Mandy and Ian had school, Daniela would find herself spending time with Simon who would randomly turn up at her house.

Of course, there were times when none of them could be with her. These particular times became Daniela's 'relax' sessions. The sessions usually consisted of the consumption of copious amounts of booze as well as her trusty Virginia Slims along with some pizza. Her dependency on the two vices had worsened over time to the point where she could hardly go twelve hours without one of them.

Having a constant supervisor had foiled some of her plans, causing Daniela some irritation. However, if she were to be completely honest with herself, deep down she appreciated what they were doing. She knew that they were just trying to look out for her plus she wasn't sure if she wanted to be left alone anyway. So, instead of calling them out and telling them to stop, Daniela let them continue.

To rub salt into her wounds even more, Daniela had spent a whole night scrolling through old pictures of her and Lip on her phone. Each of them felt like a little needle prodding at her yet she couldn't bring herself to delete them. Instead, she locked her screen and turned to one of her vices.

Currently, she was sprawled out on her bed staring up the ceiling. Her brother was going to be gone for the night meaning that one of her 'bodyguards' would be by soon to watch over her. She groaned internally at the thought.

The muffled sound of her phone going off drew Daniela's attention to her pillow. Stuffing a hand under, she searched around before coming into contact with the device. Lazily, her eyes skimmed over the notification; her pulse quickening.

We should talk. 

It was from Lip.

Daniela sucked in a breath as she unlocked the screen. The pads of her fingers rested atop the keyboard, unsure of what to say. She knew that he had a point and that if she put it off any longer he would be the one to come to her just like he had after the service.

Her fingers typed out a short response.

Not right now.

Teeth nibbled on the inside of her cheek when she saw that he had seen her message.

Soon then. 

Daniela didn't have much time to contemplate the idea when she heard a knock at the door downstairs. The sound of voices followed, with one of them being Jakob. A moment later, it was projected up the stairs.

"Dani!"

Sighing, she locked her phone and tossed it to the side where it fell with a soft thump on the mattress. Daniela rose from the bed before heading towards the front of the house to see who it was.

"Oh," she said simply when her eyes spotted Ian. "It's your turn tonight is it?"

Ian remained quiet, causing her to raise an eyebrow at him. Every other night he had come by, he had been energetic and enthusiastic to keep her mind off of any looming thoughts.

Beside him, Jakob worked on pulling on his jacket before grabbing his keys. He turned to look at his sister on the steps.

"I'm heading out with Katherine tonight."

"You've already told me."

Ignoring her tone, he directed his attention to a quiet Ian. "There's some money on the table for you guys to order food. Have a good night."

"You too," replied Daniela half-heartedly, watching as he closed the door behind him. Once he was gone, she huffed and looked at Ian. His hands were stuffed into his pockets and he looked to be off in his own deep thoughts.

The sight of it made her laugh under her breath. "You sure I shouldn't be looking after you tonight?" She joked, walking down the remaining steps so that she was in front of him. "You look worse than I do."

Ian raised his eyes to meet hers and shrugged. "It's Mickey."

Sighing, Daniela cocked her head in the direction of the lounge room. Wordlessly, he followed behind her as they collapsed on the nearest sofa.

"The wedding was three weeks ago," she said first, breaking the silence. "I thought you were getting over it?"

"I was," argued Ian but his voice lacked any conviction. "But then I saw _them_ today, and I don't know. I just-" his hands clenched into fists. "I got so pissed off."

The corner of Daniela's mouth quirked upwards.

"What did I tell you about getting involved with married men?" She joked weakly however it was enough to make Ian chuckle; the first signs of a grin poking out.

"In my defense, he wasn't married when I met him."

The silence took over the room once again. Daniela simply sat staring at Ian, her head resting against the hand propped up against the back of the sofa. Her eyes softened at the sight of her crushed friend and her eyes narrowed in thought.

A moment later, she stood from the sofa before taking off upstairs. Ian frowned after her, his confusion growing even more once she returned dressed in a heavy coat with gloves and a scarf.

She paused in the archway of the lounge for a moment until a light went off in her head. Quickly, she moved to the coat rack by the door and grabbed Ian's coat before throwing it at him. His reflexes responded easily.

"Come on," waved Daniela shortly.

Ian's frown deepened as he clung to his jacket. "Where are we going?"

"For a walk."

"Where?" He asked, rising from the sofa to follow her.

"Oh my God, Ian," groaned Daniela in exasperation. "Enough with the questions." With her hand on the doorknob, she paused before facing him fully and placing a hand on her hip. "We're going for a walk because it's the only time I can get away from this place without Jake stressing that I'm going to take off again."

Leaving no room for argument, Daniela opened the door, letting a cold gust blow into the house. Shivering slightly, the girl cast a quick glance over her shoulder to Ian before heading out. Ian lingered for a second and then followed her lead.

Daniela arched her face so that it was directed towards the sky. She breathed in the crisp air and smiled as she walked down the street with a cautious Ian trailing behind her.

Reaching into her pocket, she retrieved a small item. The silver glint alerted Ian as to what it was, causing him to rush forward.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." He tried to grab the flask but Daniela turned herself away from him at the last moment. Untwisting it, she took a long drink whilst waving a disapproving finger at him.

"There are rules if you are to accompany me on this adventure," she announced with false bravado. Ian stared back at her, unimpressed.

"And what are they?"

She took another sip."One-" she held up a finger. "You have to drop the whole security guard mode. I'm not running away again, we're just going for a walk. Two-" she offered out the flask. "You're drinking as well."

Ian spared it a fleeting glance before returning his stare to her grinning face. Daniela shook it, making the liquid slosh around inside.

"Come on, Ian. You said so yourself- you're pissed and upset, just like me. Tell me you don't want some."

"I don't want some," he responded flatly making her narrow her eyes.

"Fine," she relented darkly before shrugging carelessly. "More for me then."

"Wait."

Daniela smirked, the flask only an inch away from her mouth. She raised an eyebrow at Ian who sighed before signaling with his hand.

"Give it here."

She wasted no time in handing it over and watched with poorly-concealed mirth as Ian took a long sip, wincing at the burn.

"I don't think this is going to be enough," he said, shaking it again to show that it was running low already.

Daniela grinned even harder. "That's okay, I brought back-up." She reached around her to pull forward a satchel that Ian had missed until then. Opening it, she retrieved a fresh bottle of bourbon.

With a gleeful smile, she uncapped it before raising it to her lips for a drink. The burn left behind warmed her throat all the way down to her belly.

/

Almost two hours passed where the friends wandered aimlessly around the neighborhood. The bottle of bourbon had been passed between the two friends, with Ian taking much more conservative sips than Daniela. Despite what she had said, he was still going to keep an eye on her, especially now.

She didn't seem to notice, or simply didn't care.

They were making their way back to Daniela's house when they passed the local park. A child-like spark glinted in her eyes as she hurriedly pulled Ian over to the playground.

As the night wore on, her walk became more of a loose stagger and by the time they had reached the park, she was singing a lilting tune under her breath. Ian, a lot less inebriated than her, kept close guard as she bumbled over to where the monkey-bars were.

For the first time that night, she put her bottle down on the ground before rubbing her hands together. Her lips pouted in concentration as she stared up at the bars that were just skimming the top of her head.

Seeing his opportunity, Ian swooped forward to grab the discarded bourbon. He stepped back and tucked it under his arm before glancing upwards, his eyes widening when he saw Daniela crouched on top of the bars. How she had managed to get up there in her state so fast was beyond him.

"Hey, come on." Ian waved with his free hand. "Hop down."

"Oh, hush. You're ruining my concentration," snapped Daniela, her brows drawn together. Very slowly, she raised herself up fully, breathing a short laugh once she had.

Her arms went straight out on each side to help aid her balance; something she desperately needed, given her inebriated state. Below her, Ian placed the bottle on the ground and began spotting her, his eyes watching every move critically.

Daniela, paying him no attention, placed one foot in front of the other, giggling when she managed to do so without falling. Now full of confidence, she became more brave, her feet carrying her along the monkey-bars swiftly.

As she went to take another step, her foot slipped causing her to almost lose her footing and topple over to the bark.

Ian's eyes widened as his hands reached out to catch her but Daniela caught managed to right herself at the last moment. Her head hung forward, her long hair falling like a curtain around her face. Her shoulders began to shake and Ian almost thought she was crying until he heard her laughter.

It started off as a small chittering giggle before eventually turning into full on belly laughter. Daniela clutched her stomach, having trouble breathing and wiped a tear from her eye.

"Holy shit!" She exclaimed, her wide eyes staring down into Ian's worried ones.

"Yeah, maybe you should come down."

"Why?" She asked, suddenly offended. Reaching into her pocket, she retrieved the small flask that she refilled along the way and took a sip before throwing her arms out. "I like it up here."

Daniela released a satisfied sigh and wiped the back of her mouth. Raising her arms above her head, she cheered. Ian sighed to himself, his mouth pinched as he watched his friend walking along the top of the monkey bars again.

"Ian! Ian! Look at how good I'm doing!" As she moved along them, Ian followed her from the ground, keeping guard. "I swear I have such good control. You should try thi-"

Daniela didn't get time to finish what she was saying because a miscalculation caused her foot to fall through one of the gaps; her body following it down.

A scream tore from her throat and her eyes clenched shut, awaiting the harsh impact of the ground.

It never came.

Ian's arms wrapped around her, catching her just before she collided with the ground. Her breathing became faster as her heart pounded in her chest. Still, she kept her eyes closed.

"Okay, now I definitely think we should be getting you home," said Ian with his friend's face still pressed to his chest. A minute passed with only the sound of her hurried breathing until he felt something wet and realized that she was crying.

"Ella?" He gently pulled away from her and placed a hand under her chin to drag her eyes up to his. They were red and puffy when they stared back at him. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head, her face creasing. "Everything," she sobbed. "Everything's wrong."

Running a hand over her cheek, Ian helped her onto her feet; steadying her when she stumbled. With an arm around her torso, he helped her over to a nearby bench and sat her down.

He waited for her tears to subside before speaking.

"Tell me."

Daniela wiped her nose and took a minute to compose herself, her voice getting caught on the remaining hiccups. "I thought that after we buried her that I'd somehow go back to normal. I thought that weight that had been pushing down on me would be gone. But it just got worse." She paused to take a breath. "I can't handle it. I don't know how to."

"Are you sure it's just your mom making you act like this?" Ian asked carefully, watching her expression shift. Daniela's eyes burned with fresh tears as she met his gaze.

"I miss him."

Ian nodded knowingly. "I know you do."

"But I shouldn't miss him," continued Daniela, a new edge to her voice. "Not after what he did. I should hate him, I shouldn't want anything to do with him…" Her voice trailed off so that she could inhale again and wipe at her eyes.

Leaning forward, she rested her elbows on her knees. Ian surveyed it all with, recognizing something in her that he was also feeling.

"You're in love with him," he shrugged as if it was the most obvious answer.

Daniela groaned into her hands, the word leaving a bad taste in her mouth. "Love. Why does it have to complicate things? It pisses me off."

Ian pressed his lips together in a sad smile and put a hand on her shoulder. She raised her head from her hands to stare at him, her expression broken.

"I almost forgave him," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "He was there and I was upset and, for a moment, I didn't care that he had slept with Karen. I just wanted things to go back to normal." At the word, Daniela shook her head. "I realize now that it's impossible."

"You still have me," said Ian causing her to look at him. "You'll always have me."

Her eyes glossed over as she nodded before pulling him in for a hug. They stayed like that for a few moments before she eventually pulled away.

Wiping at her cheeks, Daniela turned the attention to him, her voice still thick. "How are you feeling?"

Ian shuffled in his seat. It was enough for her to understand and nodded knowingly. "Yeah, I get it."

With a sigh, she tilted her head up towards the sky. "God, what the fuck did we do to end up where we are now?"

"I figured out a long time ago that the universe hates me," answered Ian causing the both of them to laugh. Her face sobered after and she met Ian's eyes.

"I want to get out," confessed Daniela. "I want to get away from this place, and make new memories."

"Me too." Ian's answer caused her eyes to widen. He nodded and continued. "I even had a plan."

She arched an eyebrow at him. "Do tell."

He leaned forward and rubbed his hands together. "I was going to run away and join the army."

"Don't you have to be 18?" Frowned Daniela.

He tilted his head in contradiction. "I was thinking of using Lip's identity."

She raised her eyebrows, her face conveying her surprise. "Holy shit. You'd really risk that much?"

Ian shrugged in return. "It's what I want to do with my life."

Daniela stared at him for a few drawn moments before doing the same. "Do it then."

"What?" He hadn't been expecting her to agree.

"Fuck it, just do it. Get you a fresh start."

Ian chuckled under his breath before nodding his chin towards her. "What about you?"

"I'll find mine." It was silent for a minute before she spoke again. "Ian?"

He turned to face her. "Yeah?"

"Thank you," she said genuinely before waving a hand around. "For everything you've been doing. I know I haven't been the easiest person to deal with lately and I- I wanna fix things and get back to the person I used to be. Or, at least a better version than this one." Daniela finished by gesturing to herself.

Ian smiled back at her, happy to see a bit of his best friend peeking through the surface. He nudged her shoulder with his causing her to grin back at him and they both turned their attention to the stars overhead.

"I think I'm ready to go home now," announced Daniela quietly, gaining his attention.

"Let's go then."

She followed him up when the effects of the alcohol she had consumed came rushing back. Her knees gave out but thankfully, Ian caught her at the last moment.

"You okay?"

She nodded but rubbed a hand across her forehead. "I think I'm going to have a pretty fucked up hangover tomorrow though."

He laughed before turning so that his back was facing her. "Hop on."

She eyed him oddly causing Ian to roll his eyes from over his shoulder.

"Come on."

Shrugging, Daniela walked forward and jumped onto his back. Ian grabbed onto her calves as they wrapped around his waist. She put her arms around his neck, trying her best not to choke him.

"This is good," he said humorously as he began the trek back to her house. "It's like ROTC training, but you're a bit heavier than the sacks we have to carry."

Daniela's resulting punch to his shoulder elicited a yelp of pain from the boy yet she knew it hadn't hurt him at all.

"Watch yourself, Gallagher, before I make you do burpees."

/

The next night, Daniela found herself outside the door of her brother's bedroom. She tapped her knuckles against the wood lightly and inched her head in.

Jakob's eyes flicked up from the book he had been reading to rest on her, taking in the wet hair from her shower and pajamas.

"Can I come in?" She asked hesitantly, causing him to frown.

"Of course."

Daniela chewed on her lip as she took a seat at the edge of his bed. Running her tongue along her lip, she tried to figure out what she was going to say to him. Seeing her thoughtful look, Jakob's frown deepened.

"Everything okay?"

She nodded quickly. "Yeah, I uh. I just wanted to apologize for how I've acted lately." She toyed with a piece of wet hair, using the beds of water dripping off as an excuse to keep her eyes off of her brother. "You know, for taking off and the things with the funeral and just treating you like shit."

"Dani," he tsked in response before fixing her with a serious look. "You don't need to apologize. It's okay, we're both still trying to adjust and I don't blame you for anything."

Daniela twitched her nose and wiped underneath it. She breathed in a ragged sigh. "It's just that you've done so much for me. Like mom, the funeral plans, the bills, taking care of me all these years." Her voice trailed off as her guilty eyes finally met his. "I just hate how shitty I've acted in return."

"Like I said, it's fine," reassured Jakob before scoffing to himself. "Shit, I hardly wanted to do the funeral plans myself but I knew that we had to give her a proper send off."

"And you did," nodded Daniela genuinely. Her eyes returned to her fingers. "Mom would've been proud."

Jakob tutted before patting the area beside him. Slowly, Daniela pulled herself over only to have her brother's arm wrap around her instantly. He pulled her closer to his side.

"I think mom would be proud of both of us," he said, rubbing her arm soothingly. Daniela's head leaned against his, her bottom lip beginning to tremble. "We're gonna get through this, okay?"

She nodded, feeling her eyes well up. Jakob pressed a kiss to her hair, inhaling the scent of her shampoo before continuing to rub her arm comfortingly.

"We will."

/

The next morning, Daniela rose from bed early and well-rested for the first time in a long time. Finally, it seemed that things were slowly starting to look up for her. Pouring herself a cup of coffee, she resisted the urge to add something stronger to it before heading outside to check the mail.

As she took a step outside, her eyes fell on the courier lady. She looked to have just been about to put the mail away when she saw Daniela.

She squinted up at her from the pavement. "You Daniela Kaufman?"

"Yeah?"

"For you." The courier stepped forward to pass over the large yellow envelope.

Daniela frowned as she took hold of it. Her eyes skimmed over the parcel. They widened when they caught onto the logo at the top corner of the envelope.

"Thanks." She offered the courier a quick smile before heading back inside, her heart pounding wildly in her chest.

Daniela took a seat at the table and sipped on her coffee, her eyes staying glued to the envelope in front of her. Nerves filled her body as she debated whether or not to open it. Her teeth chewed on the inside of her cheek while her fingers tapped irritably against the table top.

 _Come on. Just rip the band-aid off._

Nodding to herself, Daniela placed her cup to the side before very carefully opening the letter. She held her breath as her fingers pinched around the paper before slowly pulling it out. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest as her eyes scanned each word.

Daniela froze, unable to formulate a single thought until, finally, she laughed. It was warm and light and so unlike how she had been feeling recently. With a grin planted firmly on her face, she re-read the letter to make sure her eyes weren't deceiving her.

When she saw that they weren't, her excited squeals heightened in volume. She needed to tell someone.

"Jake!" She called, unable to hide the pure joy even if she tried. Something in her voice must've alerted her brother because he soon came rushing down the stairs, his toothbrush gripped in his fist like a weapon.

"What?" He asked, his eyes darting over her and then around the kitchen. "What's going on?"

Daniela held out the letter. "Look!"

Jakob's posture relaxed slightly as he placed his toothbrush on the table and accepted the piece of paper. He frowned down at it before realizing what it was. Much like his sister, he held it close to his face, drinking in each word carefully.

"…the University of Illinois in Chicago would like to inform you of your acceptance into our Nursing program as well as offering you our Kerr Scholarship which will cover all in-state tuition fees relating to your four-year course…"

Jakob's voice trailed off and his shock-filled eyes flicked up to Daniela. She watched him with a huge grin, her hands clasped together in front of her chest.

"Dani…" he said, the news still settling in. As if the paper could make him more articulate, he shook it in his hand. "This is-"

Daniela nodded in agreement, her legs growing wobbly. "I know."

With a loud laugh, Jakob scooped his sister up into his arms. Daniela's feet lifted from the ground as he spun her around. Her laughter filled the house along with his cheers of joy and excitement.

/

The next day, Daniela found herself walking home with Ian after their meet up with Mandy after school. They had both congratulated her on her acceptance into university and both were happy to see a genuine smile grace their friend's face again.

"How're things going?" Asked Ian as they turned the corner to their street. He didn't need to elaborate.

"I'm cutting back," answered Daniela, nodding to herself. "It's not easy and there are times when I feel that I can't function without a drink but I'm getting better."

"Good," smiled Ian. "I'm glad to hear it."

Daniela flicked a piece of hair out of her face. "Jakob wants to go out for dinner tomorrow night to celebrate me getting into college. So far it's just family and Katherine but you can come along if you want."

Ian grimaced and offered her an apologetic look. "Sorry, I can't. We're throwing Lip a surprise graduation party."

"Oh," replied Daniela, the mention of her ex managing to trigger a warmth in her stomach. "He's finally finished then?"

"Yeah. He hasn't really made a big deal out of it though. Unlike Fiona. 'The first Gallagher kid to get their diploma'," he said, using his hands to mime a banner with the words across it.

Daniela laughed quietly and shoved her hands deeper into her pockets. "Well, it is a big achievement."

"Yeah, I guess."

When they reached his house, Ian bid her farewell, leaving Daniela to walk the short distance to her own.

Later that night, she found herself in her room going over forms that she had to sign and hand in in regards to her scholarship. She blew out a breath in an attempt to move a piece of hair out of her eyes but ultimately failed. Rolling her eyes, Daniela wiped it behind her ear before her gaze drifted to her phone.

She stared at it, mentally debating the thought that popped into her mind. Pressing her lips together, she picked it up and opened her contacts list. Daniela took a deep breath before creating a new message. Not giving herself time to change her mind, she pressed the send button.

Hey, I heard from Ian that you're getting your diploma tomorrow- or, I guess today considering it's after midnight- and I just wanted to say congratulations. I always knew you could do it. 

As soon as the message went through, her pulse skyrocketed. She tried to calm herself down by rationalizing that he wouldn't be awake given how late it was. She placed the phone down beside the papers and tried to focus again on filling them out.

A few minutes later, a loud bell shook her out of her reading. Daniela's eyes moved to rest on her phone. Biting down on her lip, she checked the new message.

Thanks. 

Daniela found it crazy how one little word could affect her so much. She was about to lock the phone when another message from Lip came in.

I couldn't have done it without you. 

Despite herself, the corners of her mouth quirked upwards. Feeling a flutter in her stomach, Daniela typed her response.

Yes you could. You underestimate yourself sometimes, Phillip. 

Once the message was sent, she re-read each word suddenly feeling less happy about it all. She couldn't allow herself to do this. This little luxury she had just allowed herself needed to end quickly before she ended up hurting herself even more.

So, when her phone went off again, Daniela ignored it. It wasn't until the next morning that she finally saw what he had sent her.

No- I really couldn't have. 

/

Daniela spent the beginning of her day cleaning up the house; exactly what she had been needing after her turnaround. She had started with the closest- more importantly, what was stashed inside of the closet. The remaining bottles she had saved tucked away had been taken out and poured down the drain. Watching the sink swallow it up had left Daniela feeling oddly satisfied with herself.

She continued like this for a few more hours, eventually taking her cleaning efforts downstairs where she began ridding the fridge of any spoiled take-aways. She had been in the process of putting away the dishes when she heard a knock at the door.

Checking the clock on the wall, Daniela frowned at seeing how early it was during a school day for anyone to be dropping by. Nevertheless, she opened the door, a happy smile falling on her face when she saw Debbie.

"Debs? Shouldn't you be at school?" She asked lightly, surveying the little girl.

Debbie shook her head, her fingers hooking onto the straps of her bag. "It was a half day."

"Right," nodded Daniela. "Winter break. Well, come on in. I'm just cleaning up."

She headed up the stairs with Debbie following behind her until they were in her bedroom. Daniela had stopped halfway through her cleaning in there as she knew it would take her the longest given the fact that she would need to sort things out before going to college.

Moving to the closet, Daniela began sorting through clothes as Debbie looked around the place, her eye eventually settling on the papers resting on the bed.

"What are they?" She asked, her squeaky voice causing Daniela to look over her shoulder.

"Oh, it's an acceptance letter."

"For college?"

"Yeah," she smiled, pulling out a dress that was two small for her. She draped it over the bed as Debbie continued.

"Are you going?"

Daniela nodded in response. "Sure am. I start after the break." She resumed her activities, not noticing Debbie's silent wondering.

"What happened between you and Lip?"

Daniela paused for a moment, not expecting the question. Debbie eyed her carefully, scrutinizing each giveaway. The older girl pulled out a jacket and shrugged as she threw it on the bed.

"I haven't been in a good place recently."

"Did you guys break up?" Pushed Debbie, clearly wanting to get to the root of the problem. The girl's insistence almost caused Daniela to laugh.

Daniela frowned back at her. "What makes you think that?"

"I'm not an idiot," replied the little girl with a small eye roll. She had endured being treated like a naïve child by Fiona enough times that the thought annoyed her.

Daniela's eyes softened on the girl. "I know you're not, Debs." Swallowing, she took a seat beside Debbie on the edge of the bed, watching as the girl played with her fingers.

"You're never around anymore," Debbie's hurt tone caught her off guard and she pressed her lips together.

"I know, and I'm really sorry about that." She released a long breath before quietly asking, "How is he?"

Debbie twisted her mouth, thinking about it. "Different," she settled with before elaborating. "Quiet when he thinks we're not paying attention." Her eyes raised to meet Daniela's saddened ones. "I think he misses you. We all do."

The older girl chewed on her lip before gently taking hold of Debbie's chin. "Just because your brother and I aren't together anymore doesn't mean that we have to stop talking." She carefully tucked a strand of hair behind Debbie's ear, noting the sheen to the girl's eyes. "I'm always going to be here for you, okay? Whatever you need or whenever you want to talk."

"What about when you go away to college?" Wondered Debbie, her voice cracking from the lump in her throat.

"Even then," assured Daniela softly, using her thumb to wipe away a stray tear. "I promise." When Debbie's tears grew, Daniela tutted and pulled her small frame against her own. Stroking her hair, Daniela kissed the top of Debbie's head.

/

"What did he say when you told him?" Asked Daniela the next morning, squinting up at Ian who was dressed in his uniform. She had come to drop him off seeing as she hadn't gotten any time to hang out with him the night before. Plus, she wanted to see her best friend off.

He frowned back at her. "What makes you think I told him?

Daniela's responding look was enough to make him sigh, his shoulders becoming heavier. "He told me not to go."

The girl pressed her lips together, feeling something close to pity for Mickey. She knew what kind of environment he had grown up in and also knew that saying that to Ian was not something he could do lightly.

"It's not too late to change your mind."

Ian quirked a brow at her, a small grin playing on his lips. "Are you trying to make me stay now too?"

"No," she refused, shaking her head. "I just want to make sure that you're doing what you want to do for yourself, not just because you want to get away from someone."

He nodded in understanding before saying a moment later, "I want this."

"Okay then," sighed Daniela. Glancing over his shoulder, she saw the line of men slowly making their way onto the bus. Ian also noticed this and neither wasted any time pulling the other in for a hug.

"Take care of yourself, okay?" She muttered into his neck, her voice growing thick with emotion. "Be careful. And don't miss me too much."

Ian's laugh echoed in her ear as his arms held wrapped around her tightly. "I'll try. Good luck at college."

The first tear finally fell, followed by much more as Daniela cried into Ian's neck. Feeling her shoulders shake, Ian squished his best friend closer to his chest. His eyes fell shut with a ragged sigh. If things went according to his plan, they wouldn't be seeing each other for a long time.

"It's not forever," he reminded her gently, hearing her muffled sobs. His heart clenched at the thought of her losing another person. "I love you."

Daniela sniffled and tried to regain control of herself. "I love you too."

After a few long moments, they pulled away from each other. Daniela offered Ian a bittersweet smile as he wiped away any of her stray tears. "You better go before you miss your bus."

He glanced over his shoulder to see that the line had shortened significantly. With a nod, he placed a kiss to Daniela's cheek before heading over to the officer with the clipboard.

Daniela released a low, shaky breath as she watched him get his name ticked off. Relief flooded her when she saw that his plan had worked. A smile lit up her face when Ian turned back at the last moment to wave at her before going inside the bus.

She waited for the vehicle to pull away before heading home, a strange feeling falling upon her.

/

Daniela had just finished getting dressed for bed when she heard a knock at the door. Frowning, she tried to remember if Mandy or Simon had texted her saying that they'd come over.

Opening the door, she hadn't been expecting Lip to be standing there on the top step. He seemed wary as her eyes looked him over with curiosity.

"Hey," he greeted her.

"Hi." Checking over her shoulder, Daniela reached inside to grab a coat before taking a step onto the porch. She closed the door behind her and quickly pulled the coat on to battle the frosty air.

Lip glanced down to his hands where she saw that he was holding a letter. He smiled down at it before meeting her eyes.

"I uh, I just wanted to let you know that I got into MIT. Full ride," he announced, seemingly proud of himself. Daniela also couldn't contain the small upturn of her mouth.

"That's great." She meant it completely yet her voice remained slightly hollow.

"Yeah, thanks." He paused for a moment to shake the letter lightly for emphasis. "It's just that you were the first person I wanted to tell- after everything that you did. It wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for you, and I just wanted to thank you so- thank you."

Daniela's mouth twisted as her gaze fell on her socked feet, unable to keep them on Lip's face for much longer.

"That's okay," she mumbled, her shoulders shrugging it off.

"What about you?" Lip's question grabbed her attention once more and pulled her eyes back to his expectant ones. "Any news?"

She nodded, the hint of a smile on her lips. "Mhm, I got accepted at UIC in the city. They have a really great nursing program and offered me a scholarship to help pay for tuition."

Lip's eyebrows raised and a large grin lit up his face. "Wow, Daniela that's- that's amazing."

Her smile matched his as she crossed her arms over her chest, feeling shy all of a sudden. "Yeah. It's pretty exciting. I think Jake's the most ecstatic about it all though."

Lip nodded, his smile softening as his eyes roamed over her. She seemed lighter than the last he had seen of her. She looked better- healthier. It made him happy.

"Congratulations," he said earnestly causing Daniela's cheeks to darken.

"Thank you."

They lapsed into another silence which Daniela used to pull the coat tighter around her. Her attention shifted past him to watch the snow fall around them. Amongst it all, Lip's eyes never wavered from hers.

Clearing her throat, she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "So are you going to go?"

She watched as Lip took a moment to think about it.

"I haven't decided yet," he answered, his eyes glued to her.

"You should take it," said Daniela casually, ignoring the way her chest clenched at the thought of him being so far away. "It's a once in a lifetime experience."

"Yeah," Lip agreed quietly, his eye flicked to the ground before lifting back up to her. When his gaze returned, Daniela could see that something was weighing heavily on his mind. "Maybe."

Feeling his heavy stare on her, Daniela shuffled on her feet, trying to find a way to wrap up their conversation before the topic drifted to something she didn't want to deal with at the moment. "Well, whatever you decide to do, I know you'll do great."

Lip, realizing what she was doing, nodded to himself, seeming a little deflated. Clearly, he had been hoping for something more.

Daniela turned and opened the door. However, before entering, she paused to offer him a small smile.

"Goodnight, Lip."

He nodded back at her. "Night."

Even once the door was closed behind her, Lip lingered on the front porch for a few more seconds before sighing dejectedly and making his way home, his hands stuffed into his pockets.

Meanwhile, up in her bedroom, Daniela toyed with her phone. Her teeth chewed on the inside of her cheek as she debated whether or not to do it. Quickly, so that she couldn't stop herself, she typed out a message and hit send.

I meant what I said. You should take it. 

The breath she had been holding onto released itself. Daniela closed her eyes, feeling her chest constrict and a warmth pool in her belly at the thought of Lip. Not wanting to see his response, she hastily switched off her phone and discarded it to the side. She wasn't sure if she'd be able to handle it.

Instead, as she lay in bed that night, Daniela chose to think about what her own plans for college would be as well as the excitement the concept of a fresh start brought her.

* * *

Daniela's back on the road to happiness, hooray! This has been my favorite season to write so far but I have a lot of great stuff planned for the future ones. Season 4 will be a bit different, obviously with Daniela being away at college and no longer being with Lip, so she won't be in every episode.

Hopefully, I'll be seeing all of you in Season 4! Let me know what you thought and what you're hoping will happen next season!

 _Special thanks to_ mchurch1992, RHatch89, xenocanaan, Naruhina1519, 13teen, SweetRiceball20, and Raging Raven for reviewing; the 4 people who followed, and the 4 who favorited!

 **REVIEW!**


	38. There's the Rub

**Chapter 38.**

It's finally here! This chapter picks up during the events of 4x05 and covers Daniela's new lifestyle off at college. Sorry that it's not amazingly long.

Enjoy and let me know what you thought!

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shameless.

* * *

 **18 weeks later.**

Daniela dropped her bag down on the floor beside her seat and readied herself for her last class of the day. Reaching into her bag, she procured her notes that she had taken the last lesson and placed them on her desk.

She tapped her pencil against them absently as she waited for class to begin. It wasn't long before more students filed in and took their respective seats around the room. As one, in particular, passed her, Daniela did a double-take.

The person was already looking at her and smirked when he saw her. Daniela simply stared back before deciding to save any thoughts about that for later. Shaking her head, she focused on the front where her professor was getting ready.

"I have the results of your practice exams here," said the man, holding the papers up to show the class. Looking over his shoulder, he gestured towards the guy sitting beside his desk. "Chris, can you hand them out please."

Daniela watched semi-interested as he did as he was asked. When he made his way to her, she noticed him slow down and purposefully kept her eyes locked onto her notes which were then covered by her test papers.

She waited until he was two students down before she flicked through it. She made a small noise of approval to herself, having expected to do much worse but she was happily surprised. Then again, her idea of a pass was a bit less than what it should've been.

Daniela turned a couple of pages when she spotted a sticky note stuck to the third page. She frowned lightly as her eyes read over it.

 _Still convinced you don't need that tutor?_

Glancing up, Daniela saw that Chris' eyes were already on her, obviously waiting for her response. He quirked an eyebrow in silent question. Unimpressed, she shook her head causing him to laugh under his breath.

Her eyes dropped back to her notes, the curtain of hair managing to hide her own small grin.

An hour later, the class came to an end and everyone began packing up their things eagerly. Daniela did the same but lingered behind after everyone had filed out of the room.

Approaching the front of the class, she waited for the TA to notice her.

"Something wrong with the mark you got?" He asked, not raising his eyes from his desk as he continued packing up his things.

Daniela slapped down the sticky-note causing him to pause. Chris' eyes flicked up to hers momentarily.

"Stop leaving these for me to find," she said, her tone half-annoyed, half-amused. He had done it on numerous occasions and Daniela was surprised that the professor hadn't called either out on it yet.

Chris stared at it before shrugging. "I thought you might want some help. You barely scraped through."

Daniela huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "I think the point you're missing in that sentence is that I _did_ scrape through. And it was hardly scraping, that was well above a simple pass."

"If you say so," he replied, putting his laptop away.

"Just because you're some Chemistry whiz," muttered Daniela under her breath; her comment making Chris smirk. Still, she continued to stand there waiting and watched as Chris slung his bag over his shoulder.

When his eyes settled on her standing there, a grin crept onto his face. Nudging his chin towards the door, they both made their way out.

"You could be one too you know?" He said as they made their way outside. Seeing her confusion, he elaborated. "A so-called 'Chemistry whiz'- if you let me help you."

"No thanks," replied Daniela, her voice evasive. "Been there, done that, it didn't end well."

Chris chuckled in response, sensing that there was a story behind it, but relented. "Okay then."

As the exited the building, he glanced sideways at her with a smirk.

"Your dorm or mine?"

"Yours is closer," she said, causing them to head in that direction.

.

Daniela grunted as her back hit the wall of his room. Her hands clawed at his shirt and Chris pulled away from her mouth long enough so that she could get it off of him. At the same time, his fingers worked on her bra.

"I have to be at work in an hour," she told him as his mouth dipped to her neck.

"Are you asking me to stop?" He asked coyly and she could feel his bastard smirk against her heated skin.

Daniela's eyes rolled back and her legs wrapped tighter around his waist as he brushed against a sensitive spot.

"God no."

Taking hold of her, Chris moved her towards the bed before gently laying her down.

/

"So when do I get to take you out on a date?" Asked Chris, watching her back as she pulled on a shirt.

Daniela tossed him an odd look over her shoulder. "Please don't make this a thing."

"This isn't the first time this has happened which technically means this is already a thing," he rebutted cockily causing her to roll her eyes.

Sighing, she twisted her body to face him better.

"You've already had sex with me, what else do you need?"

Her seriousness offended him and he sat up straighter. "That is not all that's important to me."

Daniela simply gave him a look that said otherwise before bending down to pull on her shoes. "We both know I am not the only one you're screwing right now."

Chris tilted his head, seeing her point but nevertheless leaned forward to stroke her cheek.

"But you are the prettiest."

Daniela scoffed and rolled her eyes before standing from the bed. She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, trying to search the room for her coat. Spotting it, she moved and swiped it from the ground. The feeling of two arms snaking around her torso caused her to stiffen in shock.

Chris pulled her deeper into his warm chest, causing her eyes to drift shut as his face came to bury itself in her neck.

"I have to get to work," she reminded him impatiently.

"Let me drop you off."

"No thanks," she denied, pushing off of him so that she could finally pull her coat on. "I'm a big girl, I'll be fine."

Daniela heard him sigh behind her as she picked her discarded books up from the floor. "I have to stop by my dorm on my way back anyway so," she added, trying to soften the impact.

Flicking the hair out from under her coat, Daniela finally turned to face him. Chris stood watching her, his face indicating that he wanted to say something but it was promptly cut off by Daniela walking forward to drop a quick kiss on his cheek.

"See you."

"Bye," he waved sarcastically, seeing her already out the door. The door swung closed behind her a second later.

Daniela checked her phone, cursing at the time. She had to hurry across the campus to get to her own dorm and then go to work. She was definitely going to be late. Shooting a quick text to Mandy to let her know, Daniela huffed and picked up the pace.

As she was crossing the quad, a chiming in her pocket alerted her of a call. Pulling it out, Daniela smiled seeing that it was Debbie.

"Hey, Debs," she greeted warmly.

" _Have you heard from Ian recently?_ " Asked the girl, getting straight to the point. The mention of her best friend managed to slow Daniela down.

She blinked at her surroundings. "Uh…I can't say I have. Why is something wrong?"

Debbie's sigh crackled through the line. " _We think he might be in some trouble._ " Daniela's breath hitched, her forehead creasing as she continued walking to her dorm.

"How much?"

" _I don't know,_ " answered Debbie. " _Lip didn't say._ "

Daniela's stomach churned despite herself at the name. She hadn't seen or heard from him ever since the night he showed up on her doorstep to tell her about getting into MIT.

Despite her own selfish thoughts that she didn't want him to be so far away, Daniela had hoped that he would take the scholarship but Debbie had later told her that he was studying there in Chicago.

A small part of her had been relieved.

" _So you haven't heard from him at all?_ " Asked Debbie, pulling her out of her thoughts of Lip and into fresher ones.

.

 **7 weeks ago.**

Daniela groaned as her head hit the pillow.

She had only been at college for a few months but she was still getting used to how different everything was there. However, getting away from everyone after the year she had been having was a big positive.

She was just in the process of falling asleep when the loud vibration of her phone on the nightstand stirred her awake. Glaring at the hateful noise, Daniela pulled it over to her and blinked down at the name.

Her mood brightened somewhat when she saw that it was Ian.

"Hello?" She started, rubbing her tired eyes.

" _Ella!_ " Responded the chipper voice that had her cringing at the sheer volume. " _I know it's late but I just needed to ask you a quick question._ "

Sighing, she tilted her head. "What?"

" _What's your dorm room number?_ "

At that, Daniela frowned, suddenly more awake. "Why do you want to know?"

" _Just answer the question._ "

Daniela groaned but relented. "207."

Ian repeated the number under his breath seriously, causing Daniela's confusion to grow.

"Ian?" She asked but was cut off by a noise out in the hallway that was followed by someone knocking on the door.

Slowly, Daniela rose from the bed and tossed a wary look at her roommate, thankful that the other girl seemed to be a heavy sleeper. Shuffling over to the door, Daniela opened it only for her eyes to bulge at what she saw.

"Surprise!"

"Oh my God," said Daniela, stunned. Ian grinned back at her, his widely-spread arms coming to scoop her up into a tight hug. She laughed breathlessly as he lifted her off of her feet and her arms clung to him. "What? How?"

Ian's deep chuckle reverberated against her chest before he placed her back down. He smiled down at her and she returned it, seeing the utter happiness on his face.

"I missed you so much, you have no idea, hey, is it okay if I crash here for a bit?" He asked in one big breath. Daniela, feeling a little winded, nodded.

"Sure. You'll have to keep it down though," she jutted a finger over her shoulder towards the other bed in the room. "My roommate's sleeping."

Ian's brow hiked up and he shook his head. "Oh yeah, no problem, she won't even notice I'm here." Moving past her, he stopped to place a kiss on her cheek. "Thanks for this, Ella."

Daniela pressed her lips together before closing the door behind him and walking back into her room. Her arms crossed over her chest as she watched Ian lay out his sleeping bag on the floor. She still couldn't believe he was here- she just wasn't sure _why_.

Ian glanced up at her as he spread the sleeping bag out and offered her a wide grin that triggered her own smaller one.

.

" _Hello? Daniela?_ "

Debbie's voice pounded into her eardrums, shocking Daniela out of her memory.

Shaking her head, she adjusted her hold on the phone. "Yeah?"

" _You haven't heard from him?_ " Asked Debbie again, hoping that she was actually paying attention this time.

"Uh," Daniela blew out a long breath and raked a hand through her messy hair. "A few weeks ago I heard that he was staying with an old boyfriend, Lloyd. Lip will know who he is."

On the other end of the line, Daniela heard the girl conversing with her brother before her voice rang out loud and clear again.

" _Okay, well we're going to head over and see what he knows. Thanks, Ella._ "

"No problem... Wait!" She said just before Debbie had the chance to hang up.

" _Yeah?_ "

"If you find him, could you let me know?" Asked Daniela with a small sigh. "I've been worried about him."

" _Sure,_ " promised the younger girl. " _I'll call you later._ "

The line went dead leaving Daniela to wipe a hand over her face. Opening her eyes, she sighed and kept walking to her dorm.

She was definitely late for work now.

/

Half-an-hour later, Daniela pushed through the doors of the 'Waffle Cottage'- the diner she had been working at for the past few months. It was near campus and had the added benefit of Mandy already working there to help get her through the day.

Most days, Simon would stop by to see the two of them whenever he didn't have class- though Daniela was probably sure it was more so that he could flirt with his girlfriend- but she digressed.

Her eyes caught on the back of his head as he sat at the counter where Mandy was busy pouring him a cup of coffee. She grinned down at him, the two murmuring things to each other that Daniela did not want to be privy to when Mandy's eyes flicked up to rest on her.

"Oh, look who finally showed up," she joked, a smirk tugging at her mouth as Simon spun around to also see her.

"You're late, missy," he chided, tapping his wrist that was bereft of a watch like an old man.

Daniela simply huffed despite her amusement. Mandy placed the pot of coffee down on the counter, rolling her eyes at her boyfriend.

"Don't worry," she said, leaning forward. "I covered your tables."

Daniela sighed in relief and adjusted the collar of her uniform. "Thanks, I got caught up after class."

Mandy gave her a look signifying that she didn't believe her. "Sure."

"Yeah, nice sex hair by the way," smirked Simon as he brought his mug up to his mouth. He tossed her a cheeky wink for extra measure.

Daniela's eyes widened before she quickly hurried into the staff room to fix it; the traitorous sound of her friends' laughter ringing out behind her.

Returning a few minutes later looking much more presentable, Daniela scowled at Simon.

"Don't you have somewhere to be?"

His eyes flicked to the clock and they widened. "Shit, yeah I do." Leaning over the counter, he kissed Mandy goodbye before heading towards the door. "See you later!"

Daniela waved back at him, a small grin on her face that mirrored Mandy's before each girl went their separate ways to serve their sections. Daniela grabbed the freshly-brewed pot of coffee and made her way around refilling drinks.

Due to it being the middle of the day, service wasn't as busy so the first half of her shift passed by easily enough. Still, she was thankful when her break came around.

She made her way outside the diner with Mandy who leaned against the brick wall while Daniela took a seat on the dusty ground; one leg crossed over another. The two of them shared a cigarette- something Daniela had still been trying to drop.

Mandy must've sensed something was off, judging by her silence and the deep-in-thought frown creasing her forehead.

"Everything okay?"

Flicking some ash away, Daniela pursed her lips and rolled the cigarette between her fingers. "Debbie called me today asking about Ian."

Mandy nodded and adjusted her position against the wall. "What did you tell her?"

Daniela simply shrugged. "I told her that the last I'd heard, he was staying with Lloyd." She paused to take a puff before slowly releasing it back into the air. Her eye moved to rest on her friend's figure. "She said he could be in some trouble."

"She say how bad it was?" Asked Mandy, her face remaining impassive.

Daniela shook her head. "It sounded pretty urgent though."

Mandy breathed a deep sigh after that and rolled her tongue along the length of her mouth.

"You don't think-?"

"Yeah," interrupted Daniela. "I do. Something was wrong with him. He wasn't normal. It has to be because of what happened."

Mandy huffed to herself, her own thoughts drifting to what had happened. A minute later, she glanced inside to peek at the clock.

"Break's over," she announced before throwing her cigarette to the ground and stubbing it out. Before going inside, she turned back to Daniela and gave her a half-smile. "Try not to worry about it too much, okay? He'll come around soon."

Daniela nodded to herself, still not entirely convinced. With a groan, she pushed herself up off of the ground before doing the same with her cigarette and following Mandy inside.

/

Despite Mandy's words, she couldn't seem to stop thinking about it for the rest of the day. It had stuck with her even more so after her lunch break and also as she struggled to get to bed that night.

She had tossed and turned, feeling a heavy guilt weighing down on her chest as her mind ran back to Ian and the last time she had seen him.

After a fitful night of sleep, Daniela gave up and decided to get out of bed early that morning. As she pulled the covers back, a bad feeling churned in her stomach. She knew something bad was coming, she just didn't know what it was.

Daniela stretched, feeling her muscles contract before her arms dropped to her sides. Her eyes flicked to her phone and she reached for it, not expecting to see that she had two missed calls and voicemails.

One was from Debbie and the other, shockingly, from Lip.

Daniela frowned, seeing the timestamps on the calls and quickly checked them.

" _Uh, hey._ " Lip's voice crackled in her ear but that wasn't what solidified that unease she had been feeling. It was the hollowness in his tone. She chewed on her lip as the voicemail continued.

" _Listen-uh, I-I know it's late and you're probably asleep but I just- I just really needed to talk to somebody right now, so-_ " A long silence ensued and Daniela figured he was suddenly regretting this decision to call her.

He released a breath.

" _Actually, you know what, just don't worry about it. Uh,_ " he stumbled to find words. Daniela kept the phone pressed to her ear, clinging onto each word. " _Sorry._ "

The message cut off abruptly, leaving her confused and unsatisfied. She didn't get much time to contemplate what was going on when Debbie's voicemail began.

" _Ella,_ " Debbie's voice broke and it was obvious that she had been crying. " _Liam's in the hospital and Fiona just got arrested._ " Daniela's eyes widened and were soon brimming with tears as she heard the other girl sobbing on the other end.

By the time the message was over, Daniela was already half-way finished getting ready.

* * *

Sorry that it's so short, it's more of an introductory chapter than anything but it sets up a lot of the storylines this season. I'm not going to lie though, most of these chapters won't be the usual 5k+ just because I don't want to bore you with menial classroom talk.

 _Special thanks to_ Gina-B-ookworm, RHatch89, Naruhina1519, 13teen, SweetRiceball20, Laurafxox for reviewing, the five who followed, and the four who favorited!

 **REVIEW!**


	39. Iron City

**Chapter 39.**

Sorry for the wait, I've been on a GoT binge but in other good news this story has now surpassed 200k words AND has reached 300 reviews which is crazy.

Enjoy!

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shameless.

* * *

Daniela wasn't sure where to go first. After leaving her dorm, she had debated back and forth on whether to go straight to the hospital or to their house.

Ultimately, she picked the house considering the fact that she didn't think all of them would be still be at the hospital- especially Debbie and Carl and so, forty minutes later, she found herself standing outside of the Gallagher residence.

She stared up at it, taking in the sight. She hadn't been back ever since she'd left.

Taking a deep breath, Daniela swallowed her nerves and made her way up the stairs. She didn't waste time knocking and instead twisted the handle to see that it was open. Taking it as a sign that they must've been home, she continued inside.

Her eyes flicked around the living room, not seeing anyone. As she unwrapped her scarf, she peered up the stairs.

"Holy shit, look who it is," said a voice that caused Daniela to startle.

Her head spun to see Kevin standing in the archway of the kitchen. The man looked pretty worse for wear but also stunned at the sight of her. Veronica wasn't very far behind him and her eyes widened when she also caught sight of her.

"Hey, Kev." Daniela mustered up a small smile before directing it at his partner. "Hi, V."

Kev's grin widened. "Well don't just stand there, come here."

Daniela laughed under her breath and walked into his arms where she was soon enveloped in a bear hug. She smiled against his chest, her arms coming to wrap around him.

"Damn, D. I didn't know you were back."

Pulling away, Daniela turned her attention to Veronica who also pulled her in for a tight hug. The girl made a small sound of surprise when she felt Veronica's bulging bump get in the way. As they pulled away, she grinned down at it, noticing the woman's glow.

"Debbie left a voicemail last night," explained Daniela causing the pair's expressions to sober. Her grim eyes flicked between them. "How is he?"

"Doc said he had acute cocaine toxicity," answered Veronica as they moved to the table. Daniela swore under her breath and took a seat across from her.

"He was having seizures so they had to put restraints on him," continued Kev. He handed the Daniela a cup of coffee to which she thanked him.

"How did it even happen?"

Kev tapped the pads of his fingers on the tabletop. "We were just having a good time. None of us saw him go into the kitchen until we heard Debbie yelling."

Daniela felt a pang in her chest for all of them and cupped her hands around her mug for warmth. "And Fiona?"

"We won't know until she's placed."

Daniela nodded and took a sip. "And the kids?"

"Upstairs," answered Kev, pulling out a donut from the box in the middle of the table. He didn't take a bite straight away.

Instead, he sat staring at it like he wasn't sure he could stomach anything at the moment. Daniela got it. She wasn't sure she'd be able to eat either.

"Figured we'd let them sleep in. They didn't go to bed till two."

Daniela took another small sip; the coffee helping to warm her up. She watched the couple over the rim of her cup, seeing the two share a look.

"Lip's still at the hospital," said Veronica, her voice hinting at something else. Daniela's sipping slowed and she licked her lips. "He's been there all night."

Nodding, Daniela took extra care putting her cup back down. Her hands pressed down flat against the wooden table. "I'll probably stop by there later." With a sigh, she leaned back in her chair and gestured towards Veronica's growing tummy. "How've you been?"

The woman groaned at the question and rubbed a hand over it. "Bloated, and my feet are so swollen that if I went swimming they could probably keep me floating."

Daniela laughed quietly at that. Beside her, Kev pushed the box of donuts towards her. She took one out but, much like he had done, didn't bite into it right away. She took her time picking at it and eating the glazed donut in small increments.

The three of them settled into light-hearted chatter to help the time pass. Eventually, Kev stood from the table to say that he was going to try and find out where Fiona had been placed.

Daniela finished her coffee and moved to place it in the sink.

"I'm just going to go pop in at home and see if my brother's there. I'll be back later," she said causing them to wave goodbye.

Her brother's truck was still parked on the side of the road so she took it as a sign that he was home.

Stepping inside, Daniela pulled her coat off and hung it up by the door. Craning her neck, she looked around the place.

"Jake?" She walked past the living room and smiled when she saw her diploma proudly displayed on the wall alongside an old picture of her mother.

Hearing footsteps, she turned back around to see her brother coming down the stairs. He paused when he saw her, obviously not expecting her visit.

"Hey," smiled Daniela.

"Dani?" He rushed forward to hug her like Kev did and even picked her up off of her feet. Placing her back down, Jakob gripped her shoulders. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

"It was a last minute thing."

Catching on, Jakob nodded grimly. "Yeah, I heard about that. Well, it's good to see you."

"You too," agreed Daniela as she followed him into the kitchen. She leaned against the archway as her brother poured himself a coffee. "No work today?"

"Late shift," he replied, not looking back at her. "I was going to head out with Katherine to do some shopping. Her parents are flying in for the weekend and we're having dinner at her place."

"Oh, meeting the in-laws?" Daniela teased before moving to pour herself a glass of juice. "That's a big step. I'm surprised you haven't managed to scare her away yet."

She could feel her brother's deadpanned look behind her, causing her to smirk.

"Anyway, she wants to make sure things go off without a hitch."

"And how're you feeling about it?"

"If I'm being honest," he said digging his palms into his eyes. "Shit-scared."

Daniela waved his insecurities off. "You'll be fine."

"Yeah, thanks." Jakob leaned against the counter, his mug in hand. "So what are you going to do today?"

Daniela shrugged in response. "I'm not sure. Kev is trying to figure out where Fiona's been placed so I'll probably just hang around and see how everyone's doing. I wanted to check on Debbie. She called me last night and seemed pretty torn up."

"Yeah. I can't imagine what they're going through." Her brother frowned to himself. "How's Liam doing?"

Daniela twisted her mouth. "From what I've heard, he's pushing through but it seems pretty bumpy. I was going to stop by the hospital later on and see Lip, he's sort of set up camp there."

At the mention of her ex, Jakob's expression shifted causing her to sigh internally. She had never gone into depth about what caused them to break-up but the fact that it had happened around the same time as their mother's death had soured his opinion of the boy.

Still, he didn't press the issue which Daniela was glad for.

"I actually might head back over to the house," she announced, dropping her empty cup into the sink. "I think the kids will be awake by now."

Jakob nodded and placed his mug to the side to give her another quick hug. "Okay, give them my best."

"Will do." She promised, winding her scarf around her neck. Pulling her coat on, Daniela made her way back to the Gallagher's.

Kev noticed her as soon as she stepped into the kitchen. He raised his mug to her, a smile on his face. "Hey, we found out where Fiona is. Her hearing's in a few hours if you want to come?"

Daniela nodded. "Yeah, sure I should be able to make it." She would have to leave straight after though in order to make it back to campus for class. That was one thing she certainly appreciated about college; the flexible hours.

A second later, a voice rang out from upstairs followed by the sound of feet hurrying down to the kitchen.

"Oh my god, Ella!"

Daniela looked to her left, seeing Debbie running towards her. A smile lit up her face as the girl ran into her arms.

"Debs." She sighed, hugging her back with enthusiasm. Kissing her cheek, she pulled back and instantly noted the lessened height difference. "Holy crap! You've grown so much."

Debbie grinned back at her, highlighting her developing looks.

"Carl!" She yelled over her shoulder. "Look who's here!"

Her call was soon responded to with a loud groan followed by heavy footsteps making their way down the stairs.

"The hell is going on?" Carl's confusion died as soon as his eyes stopped to rest on Daniela who was standing there smiling back at him. His eyes widened slightly. "Holy shit."

"Hey," she greeted warmly, gesturing for him to come to her. He did so without hesitation and Daniela gave him the same treatment as Debbie.

"When did you get here?"

"A few hours ago," answered Daniela as they all took a seat at the table. "I didn't get your message until this morning when I woke up."

Debbie and Carl both fell silent, their faces dropping along with it. Pressing her lips together, Daniela grabbed each of their hands and squeezed them.

"He's going to be okay," she promised, trying her best to reassure them. "If there's anything I've learned from this family, it's that Gallaghers do not go easy."

Her words seemed to ease the children a little more which she was happy about.

"Okay, you two," interrupted Veronica from the fridge. "Both of you need to get your butts upstairs and ready for Fiona's hearing."

/

"What's college like?" Asked Debbie as they made their way to the courthouse. She was sat in the back of Kev's truck beside Carl and Daniela who sat to the left of the boy.

"It's way different from high school."

"Is it true that all people do is get high and party?" Piped up Carl, with a wide, excited grin.

Daniela smiled back at him and nodded. "There is a lot of that but people also work and study." Her response caused him to grimace in distaste at actually learning something.

"Where's the fun in that?"

Daniela laughed and shook her head. God, she had missed them.

Remembering Debbie's call from the day before about finding Ian, she leaned forward to look at the younger girl. "Hey, how did it go yesterday?"

"We managed to track him down."

Daniela's brow hiked in surprise. "No shit. Where?"

"The White Swallow," answered Debbie causing the other girl to frown. "It's a nightclub in Boystown."

Locking that bit of information away, Daniela nodded and returned her head to rest against the back of the seat.

Soon, they were pulling into the car park across the street from the courthouse. Everyone hopped out and walked across the street where they stood waiting.

"Does Lip know?" Daniela asked to which Kev nodded.

"Yeah, he said he'd be here."

True to his word, Lip showed up not too long after. Debbie and Carl were the first to spot him out crossing the street to meet them. For the first time in four months, Daniela's eyes clicked onto him.

She gulped and ducked her head after a long moment of taking him in. He hadn't noticed her yet and Daniela's heart raced as he came to stand with them.

"How's Liam?" Asked Debbie straightaway. Lip smoothed his hand over her hair before assuring her that he was doing better which caused everyone to sigh in relief.

His eye looked over his sister's head to where Kev was and did a double take when he saw Daniela standing beside him. As if she could tell he was staring at her, Daniela's eyes locked onto his.

"Hey," acknowledged Lip, his face softening.

She managed a half-smile in return. "Hey."

"We should head in," said Kev, pulling Lip's attention away. Snapping himself out of it, he nodded and was the first to make their way to the doors.

Daniela lingered behind the group for a moment. She let go of the breath she had been holding before following the others inside.

.

The court room was peppered with people who had shown out to support their loved ones. The Gallagher crew entered quietly with Daniela tagging behind as they made their way to the front of the seats where she chose to place herself beside Debbie.

It was a tense wait for them as they watched a couple of sentences be passed out. None managed to calm either of them down. To the left of her, Daniela spotted Debbie's fidgeting hands. Wordlessly, she placed her own around the girls before giving a tight and reassuring squeeze.

Three people passed before it came time for Fiona.

When she was escorted into the side room, the woman's eyes shot straight towards where they sat. She dragged her gaze along all of them, her mouth pinching in guilt. Daniela sucked in a low breath at the sight of her and more importantly how lost she seemed.

Debbie's grip on her hand tightened even more as the attorney read out the long and complicated titles for which she had been arrested for including child endangerment and drug possession. Even to Daniela, it looked bad.

"How does the defendant plead?" Asked the judge monotonously.

All eyes turned to Fiona who stood behind the caged room. She didn't seem to be following along or was simply too overwhelmed to say anything.

"Miss Gallagher?"

Fiona's attention snapped back to the judge. "Not guilty, Your Honor."

They all watched tensely as the attorneys debated amongst themselves

"Cocaine overdose in a toddler?" Criticized the other woman, clearly against letting Fiona out so easily. "The child is still in intensive care."

It was silent for a moment until the judge made his decision. "Bail is set at $100,000. Check with the clerk to get a preliminary hearing date. Next."

Daniela's eyes shut at the sound of the gavel. There was no way they'd be able to cough up that much cash. Opening her eyes, she glanced sideways to Lip. He was completely stone-faced.

Beside her, Debbie made a small sound of despair when her brother shot out of his seat and stormed out of the courtroom. The others followed behind but took their time.

As they exited the room, Veronica spotted Fiona's attorney and quickly pulled her aside to talk where they were soon informed that only 10 percent of the bail had to be paid. While it was much better than the initial $100,000, Daniela knew that even a tenth of that would be difficult to procure.

"Forget it, we don't have it," said Lip with a shrug.

"We can't just leave her in jail," argued Debbie strongly. Daniela agreed but was having a hard time figuring out how to do it.

"We don't have the money, Debs."

"Well we can raise it, we can sell stuff-"

"No, Christ. Just drop it, Debs!" Snapped Lip, causing them all to jump. Daniela glared down at him for handling the situation so poorly.

Debbie meanwhile, flipped her brother off before rushing outside causing the older girl to sigh.

"Shit," she cursed to herself before taking off after her. "Debbie!"

She pushed the doors of the building open and moved to stand by the side of the road. Turning her head back and forth, Daniela narrowed her eyes to see which direction she had gone in. They widened when she saw a flash of red hair.

"Debbie!" She chased after her, pushing past people that got in her way. Her eyes remained locked on the red hair until she saw it stop at a bus.

Daniela called her name out once again but stopped when the bus left, taking Debbie with it. Sighing, she pulled out her phone and called her. Unsurprisingly, there was no answer.

With a sigh, she turned and headed back to the others.

"She got on a bus before I could catch her," said Daniela as she came back into the building. She watched as both Kev and Veronica sent looks at Lip who remained unfazed.

"What you think that's the most traumatic thing she's gone through in the last 24 hours?"

"It could've been handled better," suggested Daniela causing his eyes to flick to hers. Her gaze dropped to her shoes before she addressed Veronica. "I'd stay and help but I have class in an hour."

"It's okay," assured Veronica with a small smile. "You go."

Nodding, Daniela gave the woman and her partner half-smiles before turning and heading out the door but not without one last look at Lip.

/

After class, Daniela didn't hesitate to check her phone; her disappointment growing when she saw that there were no new texts from Debbie. She had been worrying about it ever since she got back to school and had been hoping that Debbie would've gone back home by now.

Sighing, Daniela decided to call her for what felt like the tenth time.

"Pick up, Debbie," she muttered, biting on her fingernail. At the sound of the voicemail message, she sighed. "Hey Debs, it's me- again. Please, just come home or call us back. Nobody's mad. We're just worried about you."

Biting down on the inside of her cheek, Daniela ended the voicemail and released a long, tired breath. Her eyes closed as she raked a hand over her face.

"Everything okay?"

The unexpected voice caused Daniela to jump. Startled, she whirled around to face an apologetic-looking Chris. She let go of her breath when she saw him; her shoulders slumping as he observed her carefully.

"Sorry," he half-smiled.

Quickly recovering, Daniela shook her head. "It's fine, just some family stuff."

Chris nodded along while playing with the strap of his bag. "Anything I could help with?"

His only response was Daniela's tilt of her head and the flat look she gave him. He chuckled under his breath and bowed his head, realizing his mistake.

"Right. I forgot we're not making this a thing."

"Please," agreed Daniela with a small smile. Chris nodded to himself again before meeting her eyes, a serious frown etched onto his face.

"Well, if you change your mind," he offered hesitantly. "You know where to find me if you want to talk."

A genuine smile broke out on Daniela's face as she nodded back. "Thanks. I'll see you around."

With one last smile shared between the two, she slinked off to get to her next class, all the while toying with her phone impatiently.

/

Daniela stared down at her phone watching the screen light up with a new message in her group chat with Mandy and Simon.

 **M: So my dad's been arrested.**

Daniela's brow hiked up in astonishment and she wondered why they even bothered letting the guy out considering how often he got himself into trouble.

 _D: Jesus._

S: How many times is that now?

 **M: 7. He failed one of his piss tests.**

S: Do you want me to come over?

 **M: No it's okay. You have that test tomorrow.**

 **M: So what are you losers doing tonight?**

S: Studying for that test

 **M: Lame.**

 **M: Daniela?**

Said girl hesitated as she debated whether or not to tell them where she was going. Deciding that she had a good enough reason, she typed a response.

 _D: I'm going to the hospital to visit Liam. He got into some of Fiona's coke the other night and he's been in intensive care ever since._

 **M: Oh shit.**

S: Is he gonna be okay?

 **D: I think so but Fiona's been arrested.**

S: Fuck.

 _D: Yeah._

 **M: You're going there alone?**

 _D: I won't be alone._

 _D: Lip's here too._

There was a long pause after her last message that had her gnawing on the inside of her cheek in suspense of their reactions.

 **M: I'm sorry what?**

S: Was that a typo? Because I hope that was a typo.

Daniela sighed, having expected this. Truthfully, she had wondered whether it would be a good idea for her to do this but then there was the part of her that said she should disregard whatever happened between them. Bigger things were happening.

 _D: No, he's been camping out at the hospital ever since._

Glancing up from her phone, Daniela saw that she had finally arrived.

The sight of the building caused a cold shiver to run down her spine. The place was full of bad memories that she didn't want to revisit, especially not now.

Heading inside, she expertly made her way around the hospital and took the elevator up to the pediatric ward where the waiting room was. As she stood in the elevator, she took a deep breath to calm her anxiousness.

The doors opened to reveal a guy waiting outside the doors. He smiled kindly at her as they exchanged places.

Stepping out, Daniela saw him wave at someone sitting down and once she was in full view of the floor, she realized that it was Lip.

He was too busy flipping through what looked to be an essay to notice her. Daniela watched as he smiled down at his work. It was a small smile but full of pride. Unconsciously, she felt her own mouth tug up and her eyes soften as she took an experimental step forward.

"Hey," she said, announcing herself. At the sound of her voice, Lip's eyes flicked up to rest on her and his spine straightened slightly. Clearly, he hadn't been expecting to see her again so soon.

Flipping the folder closed, he put it to the side to settle his full attention on her.

"Hey," he finally replied, still surprised. Daniela pressed her lips together, a part of her beginning to second guess her decision to come to the hospital.

"V told me you had been holed up here so I thought I'd stop by," she explained. Lip nodded in understanding as her hands fidgeted. "How's he doing?"

Lip blew out a long breath, his chest deflating as he slumped into his chair. "A lot better. They think he should be able to go home tomorrow."

Daniela's mouth quirked up at that. "That's great."

He nodded in agreement. "Yeah. We just need to find Frank to discharge him."

Snorting, she moved to take a seat against the adjacent wall. "Do you know where he is?"

"He's back at the house with Carl and our new sister."

Daniela's eyes widened and Lip nods, smirking slightly. "I know. I only found out today. Apparently Frank tracked her down after all these years to see if she could donate a part of her liver to him."

Vaguely, Daniela recalled Debbie telling her about how Frank had discovered that he was sick and dying unless he managed to find a new liver to replace his trashed one.

"Sounds like Frank."

Stuffing her hands into her pockets, she leaned her head back against the wall. A few moments passed where she felt Lip's eyes on her, watching. She ignored how it made her stomach swirl.

"We managed to track down Ian," he told her after a while.

Daniela raised her head to look back at him and nodded knowingly. "Debbie told me. He's working at some nightclub?"

"Yeah."

"How was he?" She asked carefully, her mind slipping off elsewhere.

Lip just shrugged. "He seemed a little off. He didn't really want to get into what happened."

A part of her was unsurprised. It sounded like the Ian she knew the last time she had talked to him.

"Does he know about Liam?"

He shook his head and wiped a hand over his face. "I've been so fucking busy I never got the time." Dropping his hands into his lap, Lip glanced sideways at her. "You think maybe you could talk to him and let him know?"

Her hesitance must have been obvious because it didn't take him long to pick up on.

"I could try but I can't exactly guarantee he'll talk back."

"What do you mean?" Frowned Lip in confusion.

Daniela tilted her head and licked her lips. "Just some stupid shit," she answered, her fingers beginning to fidget. She felt Lip watching her inquisitively and sighed under her breath. "But I can ask Mandy to stop by."

Lip regarded her for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, that'd be good, thanks."

A silence ensued that was equal parts comfortable and uncomfortable. Rubbing his hands together, Lip saw out of the corner of his eye as Daniela adjusted in her seat, pulling one leg over the other.

She sighed and leaned her head back against the wall.

"You don't have to stay," said Lip.

"I want to," she responded easily, lifting her head long enough to glance at him shortly. "Besides, I don't have anything else on tomorrow so it's not like I'm missing out."

Nodding to himself, Lip relaxed in his chair as they both waited for any news on Liam.

"How've you been?"

The question was something Daniela hadn't been expecting from him. A part of her also hated that their relationship had now been reduced to idle chit chat.

Lifting her head again, she smiled briefly. "Good. And you?"

"Disregarding the last 48 hours? I'm coping," he shrugged lazily.

Daniela managed a small laugh at that which caused his mouth to tug upwards. Quiet descended on them once again before she decided to ask one of the many things that had been weighing on her mind since the last time she had seen him.

"How's Karen?" There was no malice in her voice, just pure wonder.

Against the other wall, Lip pressed his mouth and lifted his shoulders again. "I wouldn't know."

Daniela scoffed lightly and rolled her eyes. "I find that hard to believe."

He shook his head again with a sigh. "I haven't spoken to her at all."

Daniela knew that there was more to the sentence than just that and it caused her to fall silent. Twisting her mouth, she stood abruptly from her chair; her sudden movements causing Lip's eyes to follow her.

"I'm gonna head down to the cafeteria to get a coffee, you want one?"

Slightly dumbfounded, Lip nodded back up at her. "Yeah, sure."

Nodding, Daniela turned on her foot and headed towards the elevator.

She returned twenty minutes later with a tray of coffees and two muffins. Lip, who had been reading one of his textbooks, looked up at her arrival.

"Their muffins are pretty great. Probably the only silver lining about this place," she told him causing Lip to crack a smile.

Without thinking, Daniela dropped down into the seat right beside him, ridding themselves of the space they had before. The realization had come too late for her to change her mind. It would look strange if she were to suddenly get up and move back to the other wall.

Lip didn't seem to notice or simply didn't mind enough to comment on it. Her shoulder brushed against his as she crossed her leg over the other and handed him his muffin.

"Thanks," he muttered before resting the open book on his lap and taking the food.

Minutes passed where neither said a word. They each took their time picking at the muffins and sipping their hot coffees.

"Any word from Debbie?" Daniela finally asked, breaking off a piece of the baked good and popping it into her mouth.

Lip shook his head, a worried frown creasing his features. "She won't answer my calls."

His eyes fell to the muffin sitting pitifully in his hand. Suddenly his appetite was gone and filled with the dread and guilt of where his little sister had run off to. To the right of him, Daniela watched silently as he fell into his own thoughts.

She knew he was struggling under all of the pressure and that his outburst against his sister had been a result of that. Seeing him now gave her an idea as to how her own brother felt when she had taken off without a word.

Biting her lip, Daniela shifted her unoccupied hand to cover his own that was resting on the arm of the plastic chair between them. Suddenly self-conscious, Daniela didn't dare to meet his eyes but she didn't have to because they were also glued to their interconnected hands.

Swallowing, she gave it a comforting squeeze and, after a moment that seemed to stretch on, his fingers curled around hers.

"She'll be okay, Lip," said Daniela with quiet conviction. Her voice was barely above a whisper as she didn't want to disturb whatever was happening between them.

Experimentally, her thumb brushed over his knuckles much like how she used to do back when they were together and he was in a particularly bad mood. The memory caused an ache in her chest and a warm knot to tighten in her stomach.

Beside her, Lip nodded and his eyes raised to her face. For a while, she didn't respond to it, choosing instead to keep watching their hands and the slow calming movement of her thumb brushing over his knuckles.

The hair on the back of her neck became static as she finally worked up the courage to meet his gaze. When she did, her lips parted at what she saw.

Lip's brow was creased as he observed her carefully. She watched as his blue eyes flicked down to her mouth and the resulting thought that passed over his features. Nerves coursed through her before ultimately deciding to take control of the situation.

Clearing her throat, Daniela turned away from him effectively snapping Lip out of his deep daze. As a result, their hands came apart, with Lip's falling into his lap.

Using this time to distract herself, Daniela reached into her pocket for her phone to check if she had any new messages.

S: So… how are things going?

S: Do you want me to stop by? Because I can. No biggie.

 **M: Subtle.**

S: I'm just saying! I don't want Ella to feel uncomfortable hanging around her cheating ex.

 _D: Thanks for the reminder, Si. But don't worry. I'm fine._

 **M: Any news about Liam?**

 _D: The doc said that he should be discharged tomorrow so I'm just gonna wait it out here with Lip_

 **M:?**

S: I don't know how to feel about this…

 _D: Oh go study. I already told you I'd be fine._

 **M: You're too nice for your own good.**

Daniela smiled down at the message, the back of her mind echoing that maybe she was right about that. Locking the phone, she slid it back into her pocket before looking sideways at Lip who seemed about ready to drift off despite his attempts to fight it.

"If you want," she began, catching his attention. His tired eyes blinked at her. "You can have a nap."

Lip's frown indicated that he was planning to turn her down when Daniela settled him with a single knowing look.

"Sleep," she urged gently but strictly. "You look like you need it. I'll wake you up if anyone comes by or if Debbie tries to call."

He thought on it for a moment before ultimately nodding, trusting her enough to do as she said she would. Slowly, Lip placed his books on the seat beside him before trying to make himself comfortable; a feat Daniela knew was difficult in the plastic chairs.

After a minute, Lip seemed to find the position he was looking for. His elbow leaned against the arm of the chair, allowing him to hold his head up. It didn't take long for him to drift off.

Daniela's eyes roamed over his face, watching as it relaxed now that he was sleeping. Still, he wore a small frown, no doubt the product of his busy thoughts. A small warmth ignited in the pit of her belly as she recalled similar times when she had done the very same thing.

She fought the urge to rake a hand through his hair as she was given a better opportunity to really take him in. If it was even possible, he had become even more handsome since the last she had seen of him.

Rising from her seat, Daniela hurriedly pushed away any lingering thoughts about him and instead focused on calling Debbie again in the hopes that she would finally pick up.

/

Somewhere in between, Daniela had also managed to fall asleep due to the weight of exhaustion she had currently been feeling. She vaguely remembered flipping through a health magazine when her eyes had slowly dropped closed.

Throughout the night, her head shifted to rest against Lip's shoulder with his own head tilted back against the wall. Daniela's legs were tucked underneath her body as she unconsciously curled her body around the warm one beside her. Soft breaths fell from her parted lips as the two slept.

It was certainly a sight, especially for those who stumbled across them the next morning.

"Shut up," hissed one of them- a female- to another as Daniela slowly began to lift from her sleep. She definitely knew that voice. "Don't wake them."

"Daddy, let's just keep your head up, okay?" The next voice was unfamiliar and carried a strange accent. The comment was soon followed by a quiet, strained groan that caused Daniela's eyes to slowly open.

She blinked, waiting for her vision to focus. When it did, she registered the faces of Kev, Veronica, and Carl as well as two strangers lingering beside Frank. The man looked practically catatonic in his wheelchair.

Frowning, Daniela shifted in her seat, unknowingly causing the person beside her to stir. She lifted her head up from the shoulder she was leaning against to see Kev who noticed them waking up.

"Morning sleepy heads," he grinned at the two of them.

Beside her, Lip groaned in response clearly unsatisfied at being woken up after so long without sleep. His head righted itself and he took in Daniela's body angled towards him, a strange look falling on his face.

Avoiding his eyes, she moved her legs out from under her and cringed at the buzzing feeling of pins and needles. Lip wiped a tired hand over his face as Daniela wiped at the small amount of drool in the corner of her mouth. None were unaware of the eyes watching their every move.

"We found dad," announced Carl happily to his brother. Lip turned his attention to his father sitting in the wheelchair and frowned at the sight of him.

"Is he alive?"

Daniela silently seconded his thought. When Debbie had told her about Frank dying she hadn't believed it. But now, as she saw him sitting in front of her, she was forced to accept it. It was almost scary.

"He's fine," answered the woman standing over him. Rubbing Frank's shoulders reassuringly, she turned her attention to Lip. The blonde made a small noise of emotion as she moved to stand in front of him.

Meanwhile, Lip just stared back more confused than anything.

"I'm Sammi, your big sister," she announced before laughing quietly at that. Lip nodded back, suddenly aware.

He raised a hand in greeting. "Right. Nice to meet you."

"I've always wanted siblings and now I have so many," gushed Sammi before remembering. "Oh! Chucky, come over here sweetie." In a second, a rotund little boy came to stand in front of her. "Chuckie, this is your other uncle, Lip."

Lip jutted his chin, still trying to get used to it all. "Hey."

The boy nodded once causing Daniela's brows to hike a little. Clearly, he was not the brightest or more most articulate. The conversation then turned to Frank as Carl took a seat beside his brother.

"Is he going to be okay?" Questioned Lip, his confused eyes sticking to Frank.

"Too many downers."

Daniela's attempt at flicking through a magazine to avoid the attention of Lip and Kev-who had been passing knowing looks between the two-slowed when she heard the ding of the elevator followed by footsteps heading their way. Her eyes widened when she saw Debbie.

"Still no Liam?" Asked the girl as if she hadn't taken off without a word to anybody. Then again, Daniela wasn't one to judge.

Instead of answering her question, Lip responded with his own. "Where were you last night?"

"Matt's."

"Who's Matt?" Interjected Veronica, her eyes narrowing slightly. Beside her, Daniela observed the tall boy standing to the left of Debbie.

Her brow hiked at the sight of the two of them. Matt waved shortly at them, clearly feeling a little awkward around them. Daniela's eyes narrowed wondering how old he was. It seemed that she wasn't the only one.

"You're Matt? The Matt?" Lip rose from his seat, a new edge to his voice as he advanced on the pair. "How fucking old are you?"

Much like her brother had done before, Debbie turned her attention to Sammi and Chucky who were sat beside Frank.

"Who's this?"

"Our new big sister and nephew," answered Carl lazily, pointing at each of them. After being introduced, Sammi rose from her seat to hug the younger girl; a sight which caused Daniela to smirk in humor at how uncomfortable Debbie looked.

However, everyone's attention soon shifted to the doctor wheeling Liam towards them. It didn't take them long to crowd around the little boy as each of them cooed over him. Daniela moved to stand by the handle of the chair, a wide smile on her face as she crouched down to see him better.

Her hand ran through his curly hair as Liam smiled up at all of the attention he was getting. Lip moved closer to tickle his brother's sides sending him into loud squeals of laughter that had the others following suit and as Daniela stayed crouched beside him, she felt a large weight lift off of her chest at the sight of the happy, smiling boy.

* * *

Lots of stuff in this chapter; Daniela seeing everyone again, talking to her brother and, of course, interacting with Lip after all these months away. Let me know what you thought about everything. The Ian stuff will slowly be explained as we progress through the next few chapters.

Once again, thank you for the milestone achievement, I truly appreciate all of you!

 _Special thanks to_ xenocanaan, 13teen, Laurafxox, SweetRiceball20, RHatch89, Guest, Raging Raven, and Spark10111 for reviewing; the 15 who followed, and the 16 who favorited!

 **REVIEW!**


	40. The Start of A Very Long Joke

**Chapter 40.**

Yes, I am aware that this chapter is horrendously short but that's because the majority of it takes place in the past. It's not the most exciting of chapters but it gives a lot of insight into why things aren't too great between Daniela and Ian.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Shameless.

* * *

 **7 weeks ago.**

"Fifty-four…fifty-five…fifty-six…"

Ian expulsed a breath as he performed his morning sit-ups. He felt the muscles in his abdomen working as he did a few more. For a month or so, he found that he had so much built up energy that needed to get it and what better way than by keeping himself in shape?

He was so focused on his exercises that he missed the sound of someone groaning. It wasn't until he heard a sharp yelp that he finally snapped out of it to take in the girl with bed-hair holding a hefty textbook in her hand, armed and ready.

He grinned in return, flashing his teeth up at her. "Morning."

The girl faltered; the book in her hands dropping slightly. She watched, bemused, as the guy continued to do crunches on the ground of her dorm room.

"Um," she licked the roof of her mouth. "Are you a friend of Daniela's?"

"Yeah," answered Ian before wiping his forehead with the back of his head and offering it out to her. "Ian."

She nodded and daintily shook it. "Megan. Do you know where Daniela is?"

Just after the question was uttered, the door swung open to reveal a wet-haired and fresh-smelling Daniela. Her eyes widened a fraction when she took in the situation.

"Shit," she muttered under her breath. "Sorry, Megan. I can explain."

"Yeah, that would be nice." Rising from the bed, Megan stepped around Ian to talk to the other girl by the door. "I don't mind you bringing guys back here but could you at least do it when I'm not in the same room? It's a little weird."

Daniela pinched the bridge of her nose. "It's not like that. He's a friend who showed up last night asking if he could crash here for a little. I was waiting for you to wake up so I could ask you."

"Right, and how long is he planning to camp out here for?"

"I'm not entirely sure," admitted Daniela with a small hopeless shrug. "We haven't had a chance to talk about it yet."

Megan seemed to be thinking about it for a long moment before finally sighing. "Look I don't mind him staying for a little while but he's gonna have to lay low. We could both get into a lot of trouble for this."

"I know. Thank you," expressed Daniela wholeheartedly. She wasn't sure what she would say to Ian if her roommate wasn't on board.

Pressing her mouth, the other girl grabbed whatever she needed to get ready for the day and headed to the door. She turned back to Ian before leaving.

"Well.… it was nice meeting you, Ian."

"You too!" He waved back. When she was gone, he turned his grin to Daniela. "She seems nice."

With a small sigh, she moved to sit on her bed and watched as he did his sit-ups.

"So," she began, placing her hands on her thighs. "How long do you think you'll be staying here for?"

"Not sure yet."

"Well, should I at least call someone to let them know you're here? Fiona, Mandy, Lip?" The last name was said much more hesitantly than the others.

Mid sit-up, Ian shook his head. "Nah, I don't think you need to worry about it."

Daniela tsked and leaned forward, her brow creasing. "Did something happen, Ian? Because you can tell me."

"I know that."

Silence ensued causing Ian to sigh when he saw that she wasn't going to drop the issue. Pausing, he leaned his arms against his propped up knees.

"Look, I came here because I missed you."

"I missed you too," replied Daniela genuinely.

Ian nodded to himself before tilting his head. "I'd just appreciate if we kept this between us. I don't really feel like going back home right now."

"Ian, I don't-"

"Ella." Sitting up, he fixed her with a look so deadly serious it caused her to tense up. "They don't need to know."

"Okay," she relented albeit reluctantly after a long moment. "I won't say anything."

Satisfied, he stood up with a quiet groan and wiped his sweaty palms on his shorts. His face relaxed and the seriousness was quickly replaced with a casual grin.

"Hey, do you think you could show me where the showers are?"

Nodding, Daniela stood from the bed. "Yeah, this way."

She waited for him to get his stuff together- which really wasn't much when she looked at it- before leading him to the showers. It didn't take long for her to drop him off outside the door.

Grinning, Ian reached forward to pinch her cheeks. "You're the best."

Daniela could only muster up a weak smile in return as she watched him push the door open. Before entering, however, he turned back to face her again.

"Also, it'd probably be best if you didn't tell Simon and Mandy either," he implied rather than suggested, with a shrug. "Just until I get myself figured out."

He didn't give her any time to say anything back as he entered the showers leaving Daniela to wonder if this was really the best idea.

/

 **Present.**

Daniela wiped down the counter where a customer had just left. Sweeping crumbs into her hand, her attention snapped up at the sound of Mandy busting in wearing her famous scowl. As she passed by, Daniela quirked a brow at her.

Mandy emerged from the back a few minutes later looking no less happy than she was before. Daniela eyed her curiously as she refilled a man's coffee.

"What's wrong?" She asked causing Mandy to roll her eyes, though not at her.

"Mickey."

"What did he do?"

The Milkovich scoffed as she made her way around the counter and fixed her apron. "The question isn't 'what did he do?', it's 'what _won't_ he do?' which is apparently anything!"

"Anything in particular?" Wondered Daniela so that her friend could continue to vent.

Mandy placed the pot of coffee down on the bench before turning to face her head-on with a hand on her hip.

"I told him to deal with his shit and go see Ian."

Daniela's brow lifted in surprise. Until now, nobody had bothered to let Mickey in on the fact that they already knew about his relationship with Ian.

"And did he?"

"Who fucking knows?" Sighed Mandy before taking off to take care of her section.

Daniela watched her walk away and tapped her fingers on the counter. Silently, she wondered if she should do the same.

.

Later on during their break, the two of them occupied their usual spots outside the diner sharing a cigarette. Daniela flicked the ash off the end of hers as her eyes read over her text messages.

 _D: How are things going?_

L: Handling. 

_D: Do you need any help with anything? Liam? Or Debbie and Carl?_

L: Nah, I think we'll be okay. I'm trying to keep him close by just so I don't worry too much. 

L: Thank you though. I do appreciate it and I'll let you know if there's anything you can do.  
  
"How's Lip?" Asked Mandy, shocking her out of her reading and causing the small smile on her face to disappear.

Looking up, Daniela saw that the girl was lazily glancing over her shoulder at her phone. Tucking the screen against her uniform, Daniela shrugged up at her.

"How should I know?"

Mandy gave her a knowing look, curious as to why she was even trying to hide it. "You're texting him aren't you?"

Daniela blew out a long breath, causing her shoulders to sag along with it. "Please don't make a big deal out of it because it is **not** a big deal. Really. I just wanted to check up on everybody."

"Mhm." Mandy took a puff of her cigarette. "I believe you."

"Mandy…"

Said girl smirked at Daniela's deadpanned expression.

"Look, he may be going through some shit right now but that doesn't mean you can just forget about what he did to you."

"I haven't," frowned Daniela, her eyes narrowing slightly.

The Milkovich raised her hands non-threateningly. "I'm not saying you have. I'm just _saying_ it can happen and then emotions get in the way and suddenly- boom! You're back together again."

"That's not what's going to happen," promised Daniela with determination as she shook her head. "I won't let it."

"You keep telling yourself that."

Daniela watched as the other girl extinguished her cigarette and walked through the door. She knew Mandy hadn't meant it in a rude way but more in a brutally honest way. Truthfully, she appreciated that she had someone like her around to keep her in check.

She observed her phone, wondering if what Mandy said held any weight to it. She couldn't deny that since the Liam incident, her and Lip had been corresponding more and more, even if it was just through text messages. She didn't want to allow herself to consider the implications.

Pursing her lips, Daniela's heartbeat unknowingly spiked at the sight of another text. She tried to crush the disappointment she felt when she saw Chris' name.

 **C: Hey, you free this weekend?**

Ignoring it and her pesky feelings, Daniela stubbed her cigarette out and headed back inside.

/

 **5 weeks ago.**

Ian had been staying with Daniela for nearly two weeks and while things may have started out promising, they soon soured with each passing day.

It started three days in when he suddenly decided to wake her up at the crack of dawn to go for a morning jog with him to which she would then angrily decline, and after that came his incessant need to wander around campus like it was no big deal.

Daniela had managed to catch him in time on two occasions just walking about and interacting with a group of students like he had been there the whole semester. After hurriedly pulling him aside, she had had to remind him that her ass was out on the line if he managed to draw too much attention to himself.

When he wasn't drawing attention to himself outside, he was needlessly making his presence known to let her know how bored he was being cooped up in her dorm all day.

"Well," Daniela had said with an edge. "If you really hate it you could always go home."

For some reason, it managed to shut him up every time which was not something Daniela was complaining about. She had seriously never remembered her friend being such a chatterbox.

But as each day passed, her worry grew as she struggled to find out what had happened to him. Her first suspicion had been drugs but Ian had remained stubbornly tight-lipped about the whole thing which managed to just increase her ire.

On a particularly bad day, Daniela had returned to her dorm after getting the results back on one of her assignments that she had put as much effort into as she could considering the constant distractions from Ian that were messing with her sleeping pattern. When she had entered her dorm to find Ian smoking a joint with two people she had never seen before in her life, she almost burst into a fit of anger.

A part of her hated thinking it but as she forced herself to cool off, Daniela couldn't help but think about how everything she had tried to leave behind was coming back to haunt her. Of course, she knew Ian didn't mean it but he had unintentionally disturbed the little bubble of peace she had managed to create at college.

Still, true to her word, she hadn't told a soul about him staying with her, though she was starting to think it might not be for the worst considering how he had been acting.

.

Daniela's feet ached as she climbed the stairs of the dorm. She had just finished a shift at the diner after an already long day at school and was completely drained. She felt as if each step was a mission she wasn't willing to endure as her head pounded.

However, at the sound of equally pounding music, she frowned. As she came to her level, her eyes widened slightly at the sight of the crowded hallways, and her nose crinkled at the smell of weed and cheap beer.

Huffing to herself, she mentally cursed whatever asshole decided to throw a party on a _Wednesday_.

She shouldered her way through a group of lip-locked couples and past a group of guys playing beer pong smack bang in the middle of the hallway. The scowl on her face faltered when she raised her eyes to see Ian half-naked and covered in some gelatinous substance as he danced with the other students.

"Daniela!"

The girl's head whipped around at the voice until she found Megan lingering nearby looking equally unimpressed.

"Megan, what happened here?"

"Your friend decided it would be a good time to throw a party," answered her roommate with a scowl. Daniela's eyes clenched shut with a tired sigh.

"Megan, I am so sorry. Look, I'll talk to him-"

"Yeah," laughed the girl dryly. "You will. You seriously need to deal with him, Ella. I can't even study for my microbiology test in my own room because of how loud it is up here. I said he could stay for a little bit and I meant it but unless you get him under control I don't have any choice but to kick him out."

"I know," nodded Daniela trying her hardest to get a handle on the situation. She raked a hand through her unkempt hair. "Please, just give me until tomorrow night, okay?"

Megan chewed on her bottom lip in thought until finally nodding in agreement. Thanking her, Daniela went in search of Ian.

Making her way towards him, she caught his eye causing him to raise his arms in delight and cheer loudly. She didn't have much time before she was pulled over and glued to his chest.

Grimacing down at it, she narrowed her eyes at him. "What the hell is going on?"

"It's a party!" Yelled Ian over the roaring music. She honestly wasn't sure how the whole thing hadn't been shut down already. "You should invite around that cute guy you've been sneaking around with." He suggested with a saucy wink, managing to momentarily catch Daniela off guard.

"How did you know about that?"

"He stopped by the other day to return your gray sweatshirt."

"I was wondering where I had left that…" commented Daniela to herself before snapping out of it. "Anyway! That's not the point. The point is that you're getting a little out of hand. Actually, you've been like this for a while and I know that there's something you're not telling me so you better spill or so help me God I will have no choice but to get you to leave."

Ian frowned to himself as the boy next to him passed around a joint. Taking it between the pads of his fingers, he took a long drag before observing the joint with disappointment.

"I think I'm gonna need something stronger than this," he chuckled.

Daniela narrowed her eyes at him in disbelief. "Did you hear _anything_ that I just said?"

Sighing, Ian lazily met her angry stare. "Of course I did, Ella but now let me tell _you_ something; loosen up." Grabbing her elbow, he coaxed her out into the middle of the hallway before trying to get her to dance with him.

When a guy passed by with a few beer in his hands, Ian grabbed one before offering it out to Daniela. "Here, have a drink. It'll help."

She grimaced in return and pushed it away. "No thanks. What's going on with you?"

"Nothing," he shrugged. "I'm doing great."

"No, you're not. Something happened when you were away and I want to know what it was. Did they not like you there? Was it harder than you expected?"

Ian scoffed outright. "Please. I friggin' aced that shit. What I didn't like though was the stupid officers trying to control me every second of every day."

"But isn't that what they're supposed to do?" Frowned Daniela, clearly confused but Ian's attention was soon glued to his cup.

He tapped the side of it in absent thought. "I need a refill."

Without another word, he left in search of one. A shocked Daniela watched his back push through the crowd. She felt like she was losing control of everything and it was eating her up.

Looking around, her eyes connected with Megan's who simply raised an eyebrow at her. She offered her an apologetic look before sighing and pushing her way to her room. After managing to get inside, she whipped out her phone to call Mandy.

" _What?_ " Came the girl's blunt greeting. Daniela didn't waste time either.

"There's something wrong with Ian."

" _Ian?_ " At the sound of their friend's name, Mandy instantly perked up. " _How do you know, did he call you?_ "

"No," sighed Daniela as she raked a hand over her face. "He's here with me."

" _What?_ " Asked Mandy, confused.

"He's been staying with me for the past two weeks."

" _Right. And you thought this would be a good thing to keep quiet about because…?_ "

"He told me not to and I tried to trust him but he's getting way out of hand," explained Daniela, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth. "Do you think you and Simon can stop by tomorrow to help me talk to him?"

" _Yeah, sure. But what's he done?_ "

Cracking open the door, Daniela peaked around to catch sight of Ian who was chugging down another beer. She grimaced with worry.

"I have no idea."

* * *

Another short chapter so sorry for that. The chapters will fluctuate depending on how much Daniela has to do in each of the episodes but by my estimations, this season should be wrapped up within 4 more chapters.

 _Special thanks to_ killjoy13213, Guest, Yunginity, I was just thrusting you, Laurafxox, 13teen, RHatch89, Guest (2), Volleyball Babe22, SweetRiceball20, Naruhina1519, peroxxxideprincess, and xenocanaan for reviewing; the 5 who followed and the 3 who favorited!

 **REVIEW!**


	41. Hope Springs Paternal

**Chapter 41.**

I say a couple of things at the end if you want to take a squizz. If not, enjoy!

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shameless.

* * *

Daniela raked a hand through her hair in frustration as her eyes scanned the words of her textbook. Midterms were coming up in a few weeks and she was trying to get a head start on her studies to make sure she did well. So far she had been having trouble maintaining her concentration.

At the sound of a knock on the door, Daniela rose from her desk to see who it was.

"Debbie?"

The younger girl looked slightly put out as she stood outside wearing her backpack. She regarded Daniela with a pout.

"Can I come in?"

"Yeah, of course," allowed Daniela before stepping aside. "Did you come all the way here from school?"

"Yeah."

Daniela frowned before sitting down at her desk again. "What happened?"

"Fiona," answered Debbie with an eye roll. She was clearly angry with her. "She went through my room and threw out my virginity timeline."

Daniela's eye bulged, unsure if she had heard her correctly. "Your virginity timeline? Why do you have a virginity timeline?"

"Because I'm planning for when I turn sixteen," said Debbie as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

Daniela shook her head. "Alright," she muttered to herself, not even willing to question her further. She knew she wouldn't want the details.

They sat in silence for a few moments while Daniela went back to her textbook leaving Debbie to sit there chewing on her lip. She seemed hesitant to ask something.

"You wouldn't happen to have any sanitary pads, would you?" She asked awkwardly.

Raising her head, Daniela regarded her with a small amount of shock. "You got your period?"

Debbie nodded, her mouth pinched. Wordlessly, Daniela swiveled in her chair to reach down into the little cabinet under her desk. She searched around for a little bit before pulling one out and handing it to her.

"Thanks," mumbled Debbie, taking it. "Fiona only had tampons."

Daniela grimaced, remembering her first experience. "Yeah, I get it. They're a little daunting at first." She watched as Debbie's gaze fell to her lap, her fingers fidgeting with the pad. "How've you been handling it?"

"It's alright," she shrugged casually. "I didn't think there would be so much blood. Sammi gave me a few things this morning but I ran out."

"Did you want to go get some?"

"Huh?" Frowned Debbie, her eyes following Daniela's frame as she stood from her chair and grabbed her jacket.

"Come on," she urged, nodding her chin to the door. "We'll go get you some stuff."

Suddenly alert, a surprised Debbie left her school bag on the bed before following Daniela out the door.

/

"Pads; check. Nail polish; check. Copious amounts of junk food," Daniela paused to peer into their shopping basket before grinning at Debbie. "Double check. That should do it."

"Thanks for all of this," said Debbie.

"No worries," shrugged Daniela with a warm smile, falling into step beside her.

"So have you talked to Ian yet?"

Daniela's feet came to a stop at the other girl's question. Her wide eyes stared down at Debbie. "What- Ian?"

"He's back home," informed the younger girl.

"He is?"

"Yeah. I thought he might've called you or something- oof!"

Daniela winced as she saw Debbie collide with another body.

"Oh, shit. Sorry!"

"It's okay," mumbled Debbie as she took a few steps back to stare up at the guy. He offered her an apologetic smile before glancing up, his focus shifting when he caught sight of Daniela who seemed to be frozen herself.

"Chris! Hi."

"Hey," he grinned in return before glancing at Debbie. "Who's this?"

"Debbie," introduced the girl, a small blush rising to her cheeks at the sight of him.

"Nice to meet you, Debbie."

"It looks like you have your hands full there," said Daniela, gesturing to all of the bags he was carrying.

"Yeah, a few of my friends are going to be using the common room to watch movies." He nodded his head to outside where a few more people were standing with bags. Turning back around, he smiled at Daniela. "You two should stop by."

Unsure, she twisted her mouth and motioned to Debbie. "Uh, that sounds great but we actually already have plans."

"Ah, that's too bad," said Chris. "Maybe next time."

Daniela hesitated before nodding. "Maybe."

"Well, you girls enjoy your night and uh, if you change your mind," he trailed off, focusing on Daniela. "You're always welcome."

Nodding in return, her eyes followed him as he gave a short wave to Debbie and left the store. Turning back to her companion, she saw that the girl was already watching her in a quiet appraisal.

"What?" Frowned, Daniela as she readjusted the basket on her wrist.

"He seemed nice."

Rolling her eyes, the older girl just jutted her chin to the register. "Let's just go pay for your stuff."

"Why didn't you want to hang out with him?"

"Because I'm hanging out with you," she reasoned as she began to unload the contents of her basket.

"You could do both," suggested Debbie, her voice lilting. The older girl paused momentarily to observe her before shaking her head in defeat.

"Look, this is awkward enough as is. But if you really want to, I guess we could stop by later."

Looking satisfied, Debbie grabbed one of the bags off of the counter before following Daniela out of the store.

/

"Are you sure you want to go?"

"Yes," answered Debbie for what felt like the hundredth time.

They were currently on their way to the common room where Chris and his friends would be hanging out and as they grew nearer, Daniela became more nervous. She hadn't wanted to go but after hanging around in her room for a couple of hours painting each other's nails, Debbie had grown bored and suggested they stop by leaving the older girl to grudgingly go along with it.

When they entered the common room, there were a dozen or so people scattered around the place talking and eating snacks. Her eyes skimmed over the faces until she saw the one she was looking for. Heaving a sigh, she walked with Debbie to meet him.

At the sight of them, Chris' smile brightened. "Hey! You guys made it."

"Debbie wanted to check it out," responded Daniela, her eyes falling to the girl who surveyed the room with interest. She had always wondered what college looked like.

"Well, the more the merrier. You guys hungry? Jess just left on a pizza run."

"Yeah, we could eat," answered Debbie for the two of them. Giving Daniela a look, the girl followed after Chris to where most of the food had been laid out.

/

Daniela stood to the side with a hand full of buttered popcorn and a careful eye trained on Debbie and Chris. They had been there for almost an hour and, from her position, things seemed to be going okay though Daniela couldn't help but feel that it was incredibly strange to see her two worlds meet. She wasn't sure if she liked it or not.

Stuffing the kernels into her mouth, Daniela jumped slightly at the sound of her phone. Tearing her eyes away from the two conversing on the sofa, she pulled out her phone, her pulse skipping at the sight of Lip's name.

"Hey," she greeted casually enough.

" _Hey, have you heard from Debbie?_ " She could hear the tenseness in his voice mixed with exhaustion.

"Yeah, she's with me," she answered, sparing the girl another glance. "Why, is everything okay?"

" _Yeah, it's just that Carl and Liam are staying with me at the dorm tonight, that's all._ "

"Oh," she said quietly, sensing that something must have happened back at the house. Rolling her lip between her teeth, Daniela shrugged to herself. "Well, if she wants, Debbie can stay with me for the night. I don't have any classes in the morning so I can drop her off back home."

It was silent for a beat where Lip seemed to be considering her offer. Finally, she heard him sigh. " _That'd be great. Thank you._ "

"It's okay. How's Liam doing?" Asked Daniela, her voice growing lighter at the mention of the boy.

" _He's good, yeah,_ " nodded Lip on the other end. " _He's happy._ "

"And you?"

The question seemed to slip off her tongue so easily and the known gentleness laced the words with warmth. Lip fell silent once more leaving Daniela to mentally debate whether she should've even asked.

" _I'll be okay,_ " answered Lip after what felt like forever. Still, it was enough for Daniela despite the small tug in her stomach indicating that she wasn't completely satisfied.

Nodding to herself, she whirled around to rest her eyes on Debbie and Chris.

"Well, I better go but we'll talk soon, okay?"

Across the line, she heard Lip release a low breath and a sound of agreement.

" _Yeah, okay._ "

Having said her goodbyes, Daniela locked her phone and slipped it back into her pocket before heaving a sigh and making her way towards the pair who were now in the middle of a bout of laughter. She frowned slightly as she came to stand beside Debbie.

"What's going on?"

Chris smiled up at her and gestured to the girl across from him. "Debbie and I were just talking about this guy she's into."

Nodding, Daniela crossed her arms and plopped down beside Debbie. Her eyes remained on the guy across from her as she quirked an eyebrow.

"And you're giving her advice?"

He shrugged, an impish grin growing on his features. "Well, trying to at least."

"I figured he might know what to do about Matty," added Debbie matter-of-fact, the name ringing a bell in the other girl's mind.

"Matty? That guy you brought to the hospital?"

"Yeah. We've been having some trouble lately," explained Debbie, her eyes falling to her lap sadly.

"I thought that after what happened with Liam we were okay but he's conflicted about it all. It's like one moment he wants to be with me and then the next he's pushing me away and making up all these excuses and then he flips it around again saying he doesn't know what he should do."

"Sounds like someone I know."

Daniela's eyes snapped to Chris' where he sat rubbing his hands together. His attention was already on her and merely waiting to see her reaction. Breaking eye contact, the girl licked her lips and returned to face Debbie.

"Maybe you should move on, you know?" She proposed, waving a hand in the air, all the while aware of the eyes watching her. "Find someone who reciprocates your feelings and wants to get to know you."

"I think you should just wait it out," countered Chris.

Daniela stared back, unimpressed. "Really? That's your advice?"

"Look, if this Matt guy is so conflicted about it then you should give him some space so he can think it over, make a decision and then get back to you. Then, while he's making his decision, show him all the reasons why he should go for it." Raising his hands, he shrugged to himself. "But that's just what I would do."

"And what if it's all just a waste of time?" Questioned Daniela in return, her eyes never leaving his. Chris didn't back down but instead rose to the challenge.

"Only one way to find out."

Sensing that the point of conversation had shifted slightly, Debbie glanced between the two of them to see that they weren't so much paying attention to her anymore but that their eyes were now locked onto one another. Pressing her lips together, she raised her brow and sighed.

"I guess I could try both out," she said, snapping each of them out of it. Daniela was the first to recover, offering her a half-smile.

Suddenly remembering her phone call, she placed a hand on Debbie's shoulder. "Oh, your brother called before. He said that Carl and Liam are staying with him for the night so you're staying with me." She paused to assess Debbie's expression. "That's if you want to."

"Uh yeah! That'd be awesome!" Grinned the girl, clearly excited. It caused a warm smile to spread on Daniela's face.

"So that means you two can stick around?" Asked Chris, sounding hopeful.

Daniela shared a look with Debbie who seemed more than eager and nodded. "Yeah, I guess it does."

"Great," he grinned, clapping his hands together. "In that case, let's get these snacks ready for the movie."

/

An hour and a half later, the three of them found themselves splayed out on bean bags. Around the room, over a dozen college kids and their friends sat watching a bootleg of the latest action blockbuster attentively.

Towards the back of the group lounged Daniela and Chris. A few spots in front of her was Debbie who had huddled in with a few of the older girls that had taken to her.

Daniela glanced over at the girl to see her shoving popcorn into her mouth, her attention captured by the film. She didn't notice the small smile on her face until she heard Chris whisper beside her.

"Debbie seems great."

Glancing sideways, she nodded in agreement. "Yeah, she is. She seems to like you too."

"What can I say?" Shrugged a smirking Chris. "I'm great at charming the family."

"Had a lot of experience?" Fired back Daniela just as quickly causing him to clench his eyes shut for a moment.

"I really backed myself into a corner there didn't I?" A simple nod from Daniela was his answer. Sighing, he adjusted himself so that they could speak better without disturbing the others. "Well, to answer your question- no."

"Then how do you know you're oh-so charming?"

"It seemed to work on you."

She throws a few pieces of popcorn at him. He manages to catch one in his mouth.

"That was different," whispered Daniela in amusement.

Picking at the last piece of popcorn, Chris chewed it before settling into his bean bag, a light smile on his face. "I like seeing this side of you."

This time she was the one to adjust in her seat. "What side?"

"You know," he gestured wildly with his hands for emphasis. "The real side. Where you're playful and warm and where you're around your people- the ones who know so much about you."

Considering his words, Daniela simply shrugged a little more unsure of herself now. "Well, I guess it's just because I've known them for a long time." Pausing for a beat, she then frowned. "Is the difference really that major?"

Chris shook his head warily. "Not all the time." Daniela's resounding look caused him to clear his throat and elaborate. "Let's just say you're not the easiest person to get a read on."

"Well, who did you think I was before this?"

"I had no idea," he answered honestly. "It's not like you let me in on anything."

Daniela scoffed lightly to herself. "That's because we had rules."

Chris' brow raised. "Had?"

Noticing her slip of the tongue, she rolled her eyes at his smirk and licked her lips. "Have," she clarified though she knew the damage had already been done. "We have rules."

Just as she thought, Chris wasn't able to help the small upturn of his mouth. Laughing under her breath, she shook her head at him; the sound causing his grin to soften.

For a second, Daniela's gaze dropped to her lap and she pressed her lips together in an attempt to steady herself. She hadn't been anticipating the look he was giving her when she met his stare once again.

Chris' attention flicked to her lips which were being nervously nibbled on by her teeth and the rush down her spine when his hand came to rest on her cheek did nothing to quell the twisting in her stomach.

"Can I?" He asked, his voice barely above a whisper as his mouth hovered only an inch away from her own. Daniela didn't even register the small nod of her chin before she found herself sighing into his kiss.

The one resounding thought traveling around in her mind was that this was different from the other ones she'd shared with him. The others had always been full of fleeting heat and desire with none of them crossing the line into something meaningful but for the first time, Daniela's lips moved against his, she felt something else engulf the pit of her belly.

The kiss built along with their growing need for each other. Daniela's arm snaked around his neck, bringing him closer as his hands fell to her waist. Suddenly remembering where they were, Daniela pulled away leaving them both slightly out of breath with fuzzy thoughts. Beside her, Chris wiped a thumb over his mouth whilst she avoided any eye contact.

Instead, she turned her attention to Debbie who was still oblivious to the whole thing. Internally, Daniela breathed a sigh of relief, not knowing what she would say if the girl had seen them.

Settling into the bean bag, she dropped her head back not realizing the arm that was already there. Sneaking a glance, she was able to make out Chris' small smile which was then replicated on her own features.

Not saying anything, Daniela returned her attention to the movie where it was just reaching its climactic point. She didn't question it when she felt a hand drape over her shoulder. The pair watched the rest of the movie in a comfortable silence though, to the both of them, something had shifted and Daniela wasn't sure if she was ready or not.

By the time the credits were rolling and the students were beginning to shift, Daniela's head had managed to fall on Chris' shoulder. Exhaustion was overtaking her and she could barely keep her eyes open as is. Chris moved beneath her, stirring her awake enough so that she could sit up and stretch.

Looking at the faces, she spotted a sleeping Debbie and crawled over to her.

"Debbie," she whispered, tucking a strand of red hair behind her ear. Debbie's brow pinched, her lips mumbling something incoherent as she rolled over. Above her, Daniela shook her shoulders gently. "Come on."

It took a few minutes before Daniela was able to successfully revive the girl long enough so that she could get to her feet. Slinging her arm around her waist to help steady her, Daniela waved goodbye to everyone before heading towards the door where Chris was waiting for them. The walk back to her dorm was quiet save for Debbie's tired mumbles.

When they came to stop outside her door, Daniela gestured for Chris to hang back while she took Debbie inside. Opening the door, she laid the girl down in her bed before tucking her in. She stood back, watching as she was out like a light as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Heading outside, Daniela closed the door behind her before using it to lean against. She turned her eyes up at Chris all the while playing with the sleeve of her hoodie.

"Thanks for tonight, we had fun."

"No problem," he nodded back. "It was nice to finally spend some time with you without you running away."

"I don't…run." Her weak defense was met with a knowing look that caused her to shake her head, the hint of a smile tugging at her lips.

"Hopefully, it won't be the last."

Daniela tilted her head in contemplation. "Maybe."

Her answer seemed to be a good enough start for Chris who nodded once again. "I'll leave you to it then."

Daniela smiled up at him. "Okay, goodnight."

"Wait."

She was in the process of pushing open the door when she felt a hand wrap around her elbow and spin her back around. Her lips were quickly captured by Chris' once again in a kiss that was over almost as soon as it began.

Pulling away, Chris' thumb brushed against her cheek. "Goodnight."

Daniela could feel her cheeks redden and simply decided to nod before backing inside. With the door closed behind her, she let out a long breath and moved towards her bed. She pulled back the covers before huddling in beside Debbie whose back was to her.

She stared at the back of her head as her mind went into overdrive over what the hell had happened in the last six hours. There was a dread in her chest along with an excitement that she hadn't felt in a long time.

Considering too much to worry about at the moment, Daniela instead focused on falling asleep. However, as her eyes lingered on the fiery hair of Debbie, her mind wandered off to another person who shared the same locks and one whom she had royally fucked up with.

/

 **5 weeks ago.**

Daniela's nerves were going haywire by the time the next night rolled around. She had called to make sure that Mandy and Simon were still on board to stop by to which they had both agreed. As per usual, Ian would be out for most of the afternoon and head back around seven where they would be waiting for him.

As the time ticked on, the trio sat patiently for Ian to return from wherever the hell he took off to.

"Chill out," said Mandy, breaking the silence and Daniela's train of thought.

"What?" Blinked the girl, completely clueless.

Simon winced and gestured to her moving feet. "You're pacing."

"Oh." She glanced down to see that she was indeed pacing but somehow couldn't bring herself to stop.

"It'll be fine," assured Mandy though she didn't seem too sure of it herself. This did little to quell the tension in Daniela's shoulders. Her attention snapped to the door when she heard the handle turn.

All three pairs of eyes watched as Ian walked in sweaty from a run. He saw Daniela first and was in the process of smiling when he finally took in the other two standing there.

"What the hell is this?" He fumed, eye narrowing dangerously into slits.

Across from him, Daniela cleared her throat and tried to steady herself. "We need to talk."

Ian cursed under his breath and shook his head in disbelief.

"What's going on with you?" Asked Mandy looking more worried than any of them had ever seen before.

"Ella told us you've been staying here."

"Oh did she?" Replied Ian spitefully. "Because I recall specifically asking her not to say shit to anyone."

"You gave me no choice," said Daniela in defense of herself. "You need to tell us what happened to you. Are you in some sort of trouble because we can help, whatever it is."

"Yeah, I can call my brothers and-"

"No." Ian shook his head, agitation clear on his features as he began pacing. "See this is exactly why I didn't want anyone to know. Because of all of this!" He motioned his hands around the room before focusing on Daniela. "I asked you to trust me-"

"I _do_ trust you, Ian. But the way you've been behaving makes me feel like I have to do something."

"Yeah because that's what you always do," shot back Ian before sucking on his teeth. "I never should've told you- I never should've come here in the first place."

"You're right," nodded Daniela, feeling her own anger rising. "You shouldn't have because ever since you showed up things have going to shit."

Briefly, she registered the shock on her friends' faces before pushing it to the side. The voice at the back of her mind told her that now would be a good time to stop but weeks of pent up frustration were spilling it and she wasn't sure she wanted to push it down anymore.

"You know, I was doing really fucking great. I was ahead in my classes, I had made new friends, I had a new job, I even met someone and then suddenly _you_ show up and I have to spend all this time covering for your coked-out ass. Meanwhile, you're throwing parties in my dorm, smoking weed and waking me up at the crack of dawn every morning!"

"Now, I don't know what it is that's making you spin out so much but you can't stay here anymore." Daniela raked a hand through her hair before resting it on her hip. Her eyes never once strayed from Ian's. "I'm trying to make something of myself and forget about all of the shit that happened before this and you are not helping."

Ian remained silent for a long time; his eyes glossing over as she unleashed her verbal tirade. Behind her, Mandy and Simon stood by awkwardly, just watching the scene unfold.

Eventually, Ian licked his lips and nodded to himself.

"Well jeez, tell me how you really feel," he quipped sarcastically before moving over to where his things were. No-one said a word as he stuffed clothes into his bag and wrapped up his sleeping bag.

Eventually, the guilt began to trickle in causing Daniela to clench her eyes shut and pinch the bridge of her nose.

"Wait," she said tiredly. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I didn't mean it."

"Yes, you did," answered Ian straightaway. He tore his eyes away from his things long enough to give her a careless shrug. "And you're right. I'm not wanted here so I'll go."

"Wait, that's not it." She rushed to him, her hand balling into a fist against her chest. "I want you here, I want to help you but I can't do that if you won't let me."

Ian paused from his packing long enough to narrow his eyes at Daniela.

"You know, I thought that after everything that happened with Lip, you would know not to betray someone's trust." Shrugging, he pulled his bag on and registered his friend's surprise. "I guess I was wrong."

Daniela's mouth parted hopelessly as she watched him spare the other two a glance. She had completely forgotten they were even there.

"It was good seeing you guys."

At the sound of the door closing behind him, Daniela exhaled, a weight pushing down on her chest. The palms of her hands dug into her eyeballs and her jaw clenched tightly in frustration. Behind her, she felt the watchful eyes of Simon and Mandy as well as the tense air that permeated the room.

.

 **Present.**

When she had planned it in her mind, she hadn't anticipated that particular ending, nor the words she had spat at him.

The never-ending guilt had been gnawing at her ever since that day; slowly ripping her up on the inside. She hated what she had said to him. Most importantly, she hated that she had meant every bit of it just like he said. That was the worst part- knowing that she didn't want him around.

What kind of monster was she? Pushing away the one person that meant everything to her.

She wanted nothing more than to make things up to him and apologize. She just didn't know how to begin.

* * *

.

* **long ass author's note incoming** *

Now we know what happened between them! Was it what you were expecting? I always enjoy writing D&D scenes so this chapter was a blast and there was a tiny bit of Lip interaction to keep you guys happy. Also, I won't lie to you, I low key ship Daniela and Chris. Sorry.

However, I'm honestly the shittest at updating and for that, I am truly sorry. A lot of it has been distraction, demotivation, life, but also hitting a wall. If you follow me then you probably already know that I've started another story but don't worry! I'm still extremely committed to this one. It's just that this season is the hardest to get through to the point where I've seriously considered just blitzing through it willy-nilly but I don't want to give you anything half-arsed so I took my time getting this out there so that I could at least be happy knowing it's not complete shit.

For future note though, if you do follow me and see me posting chapters for my other story; please don't get disheartened! This is still the number one priority. It's just these next few chapters giving me grief but I swear I know where I'm going after this.

Thank you for being so patient.

 _Special thanks to_ RHatch89, Raging Raven, Guest 1 &2, 13teen and Hapsgurl80 for reviewing; the 12 who followed and the 11 who favorited!

 **REVIEW!**


	42. The Legend of Bonnie and Carl

**Chapter 42.**

It's not much but it's an update. Enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Shameless.

* * *

"So, uh. I heard Ian was back home."

"Yeah," shrugged Mandy carelessly. They were currently at work getting the place ready before service started. It had been a week since Ian had come home and Daniela had yet to go see him. "He was with Mickey but then Svetlana sent him packing."

Daniela nodded, her mouth twisting. "So you've talked to him?"

"He brought by some clothes this morning for the baby." Mandy then paused to snort and quirked an eyebrow. "Wish Mickey would give as much of a shit. Asshole's been hiding out over at Ian's ever since Svet had her kid."

Daniela had to agree. Despite the shitty circumstances of their marriage, the kid didn't deserve to not be acknowledged by his father.

"How was Ian when you saw him?"

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Asked Mandy in exasperation before righting herself so that she could place a hand on her hip.

Daniela toyed with the damp cloth in her hand. "I'm still trying to figure out what to say."

"Well, don't figure, just do," said Mandy before moving onto the next table. "The sooner you two sort your shit out, the sooner things can go back to normal."

"Yeah, I guess," she agreed half-heartedly.

At the chiming of her cell phone, Daniela groaned slightly, her eyes falling shut. Mandy eyed her with bored curiosity as Daniela stared down at the screen before slipping it back into her apron pocket.

"Who's that?"

"No-one," answered Daniela plainly.

"Uh-huh." Mandy nodded, unconvinced leaving the other girl to hesitate for a second before spilling.

"It's just this guy."

"A guy?" Questioned Mandy. "Since when have you had a guy?"

"I haven't had a 'guy'," refuted Daniela before releasing a long breath. "Besides, it's not like it's serious. It's just sex."

"That's what I said about Simon and now look at me," pointed out Mandy thought she looked pretty happy with how things had turned out. Despite individual appearances, the pair's relationship seemed about as stable as you could hope.

"First of all," began Daniela, raising a finger. "This is very different, okay?"

"Well then if it's just sex why do you keep dodging his calls?"

"Ugh," groaned Daniela, a hand raking through her hair. "Because we had a teeny- _tiny_ moment that he is determined to not let me forget." She finished by collapsing into one of the booths.

Mandy stared down at her, unimpressed. "Wow, is he that much of a douchebag?"

"No! He's- he's not a douchebag, it's just- I don't know," she said in resignation. "I don't know what to say to him."

"Well, did you like it?" Asked Mandy bluntly.

Daniela shrugged, her hands wringing the damp cloth. Had she? She certainly had at the time but by the time the next morning had rolled around and she was forced to rethink her actions, she wasn't so sure.

It wasn't like there was anything wrong with Chris- far from it. It was simply that the whole thing had left her feeling strange and she wasn't sure what to think of the kiss.

"Yeah, I guess I did," she admitted after a moment of contemplation.

"Then you wanna know what I think?" Daniela nodded, desperate for some advice. "I think it's high time you moved the fuck on from Lip," stated Mandy.

Having finished with her tables, she handed the spray bottle over before walking away, leaving Daniela even more conflicted than before.

/

Night had fallen by the time Daniela arrived outside the Gallagher house. She wiped a knuckle over her nose and sucked in a long, heavy breath as she eyed the place. The whole journey there she had been mentally preparing herself for this moment; going over what she would say and what she would do. Yet, now that she was finally there, none of it seemed like enough.

After what seemed like forever, Daniela shook her shoulders before walking up the steps and through the door.

The house was relatively quiet though she could hear the sounds of shuffling feet upstairs as well as things moving around in the kitchen. Seeing it as a good place to start, she walked through the lounge until she was stood under the arch. However, instead of seeing Ian, she found Lip.

"Oh," she said to herself.

Hearing a voice, he twisted his neck around before spotting her. The tray in his hands lowered slightly as he turned to face her fully.

"Hey," he said, voice softening.

"Hi," replied Daniela before averting her eyes to glance around the room. "Uh, is Ian here?"

Lip shook his head and went back to getting dinner ready. "Nah, he's at work."

Daniela cursed internally at the reminder. "Right, I forgot about that." Debbie had mentioned that Ian had a job at some strip club.

Swallowing, her hands fidgeted with the sleeve of her sweater while Lip slipped a few trays of food into the oven. Twisting her mouth, Daniela rocked back and forth on her heels, unsure of what to say or do. Luckily, Lip beat her to it.

"I'm surprised it took you so long to come by."

Daniela glanced sideways at him and took a few steps forward. "What do you mean?"

Closing the oven door with his foot, Lip shrugged and moved to the fridge. "Well, it's just that he's been back for a week and you haven't been around since."

"Yeah…" Daniela trailed off hesitantly as she took a seat at the kitchen counter. "I guess I've just been trying to figure out what to say to him."

Lip nodded before shifting to stand across from her, his palms resting on the counter as he observed her with a nod of his chin. "This have something to do with what happened between you two?"

Daniela nodded, her gaze falling to her laced fingers. "I guess I can tell you now that he's back home," she said before pursing her lips. Glancing up at him, she saw that he was watching her intently. "A few months ago he turned up at my dorm and he stayed with me for a little while."

"And then?"

She shook her head slightly and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "He just got a little out of control and then I said some things- some, really bad things and he left, so," she finished with a shrug.

"Out of control?" Frowned Lip. "How?"

Daniela pursed her lips as she tried to find the right word to describe it. "Uh… He was just, always _on_ all the time. It was like I couldn't get him to calm down before he was running around doing whatever he wanted."

Lip listened to her intently, bobbing his head along in silent agreement. He waited until she was finished before releasing a long breath.

"And, uh, when he was staying with you, did he have all these crazy hair-brained ideas?"

Daniela's brow creased when she noticed that he seemed to have already witnessed this behavior with Ian. "Yeah," she nodded. "That sounds like him."

Her eyes fell to her laced fingers one again, a feeling of sadness and guilt washing over her once more. She was exhausted. Not just from her cramming for the midterms- which were coming up within the week- but also from the drama with Ian. She didn't want to be at odds with him anymore. She just wanted to fix things and move on like she had been trying to do all year.

She released a sigh and leaned back in her chair, her fingers tapping against the counter. Lip had returned to getting dinner ready giving her a glimpse into how he had been since they had parted ways. Like he had told her, he seemed to be coping, even doing well considering the circumstances.

"Where's Fiona?" She found herself asking to help fill the silence.

Lip spared her a glance as he checked the temperature on the oven. "She's out job hunting but she should be home soon. Her curfew is almost up."

On cue, they heard the front door open followed by pained groans. Craning her neck, Daniela watched as a breathless Fiona collapsed on the couch clutching her bare feet. She winced slightly at seeing the snow and developing blisters.

Lip grabbed a beer from the fridge before going to speak with her leaving Daniela sitting at the counter. She blew out a long breath as her eyes flicked around the place, planning her exit. She didn't want to hang around for too long knowing that Ian wouldn't be home anytime soon.

As she contemplated heading out the back door, she heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Turning her attention to them, a smile fell onto her face at the sight of Debbie.

"Hey, Debs," she greeted warmly, swiveling in her chair to return the girl's hug.

Stepping back, Debbie grinned at her. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

"It was a last minute thing," waved off Daniela. "I came to see Ian but I forgot he had work."

Hearing voices in the kitchen, Fiona twisted her neck to see the two of them standing there.

"Ella!" She yelled, happy to see her after so long. "Hey!"

Daniela moved out into the lounge followed by Debbie who plopped down beside her sister on the sofa.

"Hey, Fi. How're things going?"

"I got a couple leads on jobs," announced Fiona with pride, her eyes looking over Daniela in appraisal. "God, I haven't seen you in so long. How's college?"

Daniela shrugged, shifting the coat on her arm. "It's all new but I'm enjoying it."

"Good," nodded Fiona, her brow raising in question. "Are you staying for dinner?"

"I was actually just about to head off," said Daniela, raising the coat slung over her arm for further indication.

"You don't have to go," she heard Lip say, forgetting he was even there. He sat watching her from his spot on the coffee table.

Debbie nodded in agreement. "Yeah, stay for dinner."

Daniela swayed on her heels, debating what to do. All eyes were on her, waiting. After what seemed like forever, she managed a small smile and nodded.

"Sure." She turned her attention to Lip. "Did you need some help?"

"Yeah, could you just grab these and put them on the table?" Asked Lip, heading back into the kitchen with the two girls following him.

Daniela located some tea towels before opening the oven and taking out a tray. She carried it over to the table while Lip grabbed the other one and Debbie got to work setting their places.

"Debs, could you get Liam?" Said Lip as they finished up. The girl nodded and headed upstairs to retrieve him.

As Daniela set some cups down on the table, Debbie returned with both of her brothers and slid the youngest into his highchair. Heading past, Daniela paused to kiss his soft cheek before tickling his neck, causing him to squeal with laughter.

Grinning, she righted herself and absently glanced to the stove to find Lip watching her. She offered him a small smile and took her seat at the table. Debbie planted herself to her left while Lip took the other side with Carl across from her.

"Fiona's not eating?" She frowned at Lip and he simply shrugged. He then leaned back in his chair so that he could see into the lounge.

"Hey, Fi!" He called. "You eating?"

Fiona sat up on the sofa and shook her head. "I'm just going to lay here for a bit and rest my feet."

Shrugging once again, Lip turned back to Daniela who did the same before they began to dig in. Lip cut into his meatloaf and glanced at his brother to see that he hadn't made a move to eat yet.

"Everything alright, bud?"

"How do you know you're in love with someone?" Asked Carl, his shoulders sagging against the back of the chair. The older two frowned at him having not expected that.

"When you want to rip someone's heart out and stomp on it till it's soup," answered Debbie angrily causing Daniela's eyebrows to raise though a part of her found herself agreeing with the younger girl.

/

To say that dinner was a little awkward was an understatement. It seemed like Daniela and Lip couldn't decide on how friendly and open they were going to be around each other leading to strange fluctuations with most coming on Daniela's part any time things strayed too close to feeling familiar.

Thankfully, she had Debbie to keep the conversation flowing as she blathered on about her ex-boyfriend. Throughout her retelling, Daniela chanced a sideways look at Lip who was trying to figure out what to say to his sister.

"Ugh, I'm so done with him," spat Debbie in distaste. She folded her arms over her chest and pouted, not touching the food on her plate.

"Don't worry about it," said Daniela, trying her best to seem reassuring. "You'll find someone else."

The younger girl thought over her words for a moment and nodded to herself. "Speaking of," she began, picking up her cutlery. "How's Chris?"

The question caused Daniela to pause, a piece of meatloaf halfway to her mouth. To her right, she noticed Lip slow his eating. She pursed her lips as she addressed Debbie.

"Uh, he's good."

"Any more movie nights coming up?" Carried on Debbie, not sensing the awkward tension beginning to build. "That last one was really fun."

Daniela pushed a spring roll around her plate and shrugged lightly. "I'm not sure but I'll ask the next time I see him."

She could feel Lip's eyes watching her. She could even see them in her peripheral vision, yet she opted to ignore them as well as the churning in her belly. Instead, she cleared her throat and pushed the conversation along to what had Carl so down in the dumps.

/

After dinner was finished, Daniela stayed back to help clean up. The kids had been ushered upstairs by Lip, and Fiona had long since made her way to bed, having been too exhausted to eat with them.

Soap suds stuck to her hands as she washed the dishes, her mind wandering off so far that she didn't realize Lip had joined her until she heard his voice.

"Debbie and Carl are brushing their teeth and Liam is finally asleep," he announced proudly.

Daniela smiled back, her attention remaining on the sink. "You've really got this whole thing down, huh?"

Lip shrugged it off though she could tell just by glancing over at him that he appreciated her words. She was sure it was overwhelming- hell, she didn't think she'd even be able to handle it if she were in his position.

"How's Liam been?" She asked, glancing sideways at Lip as he picked up a dry dishcloth.

"It's hard to know for sure how majorly the coke affected him but so far he's good."

"And you've been taking him with you to college?" Debbie had mentioned it in passing, saying that Lip still didn't trust Fiona completely.

"Yeah," he nodded. "Amanda watches him during my classes. She's been a big help."

Daniela quirked an eyebrow at the foreign name before innocently asking, "Amanda?"

Out the corner of her eye, she saw him pause having noticed his slip. Placing the cloth down, he picked up the stack of plates and carried them over to the cupboard.

"Yeah. She's um-" he frowned to himself. "I don't really know what to call her." Daniela nodded, her lips pursed as he continued, trying to distance the conversation. "I mean, like I said, she's been looking after Liam when I have class."

"She sounds great," replied Daniela, her voice slightly hollow as she turned back to the dishes, hating the sting that surfaced in the pit of her stomach.

"Well, what about you?" Asked Lip, causing her to spare him a questioning glance. "That guy Debbie brought up."

"Oh." She placed a plate onto the rack and stared down at the cooling water. "He's uh…I don't really know," she said, mirroring his words.

Lip's mouth quirked upwards and he nodded. Pushing himself away from the counter, he grabbed his cloth again and continued drying the dishes. Instead of returning to his position, however, he stayed put beside Daniela. Shoulders brushed against one another causing a faint blush to appear on her cheeks though she tried to wish it away.

They worked in a semi-comfortable silence for a few minutes with only the sound of dishes clunking around. On more than one occasion she felt his eyes flick to her, seeming to want to say something but each time deciding against it.

Once the dishes were done and the leftovers were wrapped and packed away, Daniela wiped everything down and grabbed her jacket.

"I better get going," she said while she pulled it on. Lip nodded as he watched from the counter as she headed to the kitchen door but paused to offer him a smile. "Thanks for dinner. It was nice seeing everyone again."

"Yeah, no problem," he said, slinging the cloth over his shoulder. "I'll let Ian know you stopped by."

"I'd appreciate that. Goodnight," she said with one last parting smile. Lip raised a hand in a wave before she closed the door behind her.

As she made her way home, she ignored the pounding in her chest whilst also trying not to dwell too much on the new person in Lip's life.

/

The next day, Daniela returned to the house. She stood in front of the gate and peered up at the window to Ian's room. Squinting, she typed out a message before hitting send.

 _Can you meet me outside?_

Her foot tapped against the cold ground anxiously as she saw his fiery hair come into view. Ian stared out onto the ground where she stood nervously. Meeting his gaze, Daniela raised a hand in greeting; her lips pressed together. Ian observed her for another moment before disappearing and, not a minute later, stepped out onto the front porch.

"Hey," said Daniela lamely, her hands shoving into her pockets.

Ian nodded in greeting. "Hey."

Daniela's forehead creased in guilt as she took a step forward. "I'm sorry," she began earnestly. "Like, _really_ sorry. I should have never said those things to you, especially after everything you did for me when my mom died." Her eyes stayed on his, analyzing his reaction.

He seemed relatively impassive about the whole thing and she wasn't sure if that was good or bad. For a drawn out moment, he didn't say anything and instead scuffed his socked-foot against the deck.

"What took you so long?" He asked, his voice low before meeting her eyes once again.

Daniela stuttered slightly, not expecting the humor in his voice. "I was afraid you hated me."

At her admission, Ian tsked before making his way towards her.

"I could never hate you," he said, now only a foot away. "Besides, I wasn't exactly the easiest person to deal with at the time and I know you were only trying to do what you thought was right."

"So you forgive me?" Asked Daniela hopefully.

A small smile formed on Ian's face as he nudged her shoulder gently. "Only if you forgive me."

"Of course I forgive you," she responded; her vision becoming bleary.

"Good." Not a second later did Daniela wait before the two of them flung themselves at the other.

"God, do you know how difficult it's been not talking to you for so long?" Joked Daniela against his neck, her voice thick with tears.

"I know right," he agreed; his hands coming to wipe at Daniela's remaining tears. She registered his excited expression as he tugged her over to the steps. "There's so much I have to tell you. I'm guessing Debbie told you about my new job."

Daniela tilted her head. "She mentioned a few things."

"I met so many great people there. People with all these great ideas and see, I've been writing all these thoughts down in a journal, you know? Even the littlest thing. I'm telling you, Ella, I'm on to bigger and better things."

She laughed lightly, a smile growing on her face. "I'm glad you're happy."

Ian's smile didn't lessen as he continued on. "Lip told me you stopped by last night."

"Yeah," confirmed Daniela, glancing at her hands for a second. "I came to see you but then Debbie talked me into staying for dinner."

Ian nodded but looked far from done with the conversation.

"Do you two talk?" He asked, surveying her closely.

"Who? Me and Debs?"

"No," he frowned. "You and Lip."

Daniela shrugged, unsure. "I don't know, sometimes." Noticing his look, she was quick to shut down whatever ideas were flying into his brain. "It's nothing. We would just talk about Liam and how he was doing."

"If you say so," said Ian, his eyebrow quirking.

"You sound like Simon," she groaned before rolling her eyes. "Nothing happened."

Ian chuckled before nudging his shoulder against hers."I know. I'm just kidding."

Grinning down at her, Ian wound his arm through hers as she leaned her head against his shoulder.

"I really did miss you," said Daniela. At last, things felt right again and she mentally promised herself that she would never allow the two of them to get into a similar situation ever again.

Ian grabbed her hand and laced their fingers together before giving it a comforting squeeze as his head shifted to rest against hers.

"I missed you too."

* * *

I had so much fun writing Lip and Daniela together again and I hope you liked it too. I'm halfway through writing the next two chapters so fingers crossed I can get them out to you soon.

 _Special thanks to_ Hapsgurl80, funwithstark, RHatch89, 13teen, LolaCat, and angelicedg for reviewing!

 **REVIEW!**


	43. Emily

**Chapter 43.**

I know this season hasn't been the most exciting; it's really more of a filler season but next chapter will be the finale.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Shameless.

* * *

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Daniela absentmindedly blew out a low breath, her lips pursing, as she read over her textbook. Midterms had come and gone with Daniela feeling pretty confident about her results.

However, at the time she had been quietly freaking out. Two hours before her Chemistry exam she had gotten a phone call from Ian asking if she had seen Fiona. Long story short, she had wound up breaking probation by going on a bender that resulted in her pitched outside a gas station in Cheboygan.

Daniela was just thankful that she was safe. Of course, having broken parole, Fiona was now incarcerated though none of them knew how long for. Since then, she had been making sure to check up on Lip and the kids as well as Ian.

Ever since patching things up, the two had been near inseparable when they weren't busy. Ian had slipped very easily back into their little circle which had Simon and Mandy especially relieved that there was no more tension. Ian still had his moments, however, though they were very few and far between which Daniela considered to be a sign of how happy he was now that he had fixed up all of his relationships.

When he wasn't spending time with them, he was with Mickey; a fact that no longer startled or worried Daniela. In fact, she found it almost endearing how the rough Milkovich would shed his spikes for Ian. Clearly, she had been spending too much time around his sister to register any real disgust towards him anymore.

The notion caused a small amused grin to appear on her face before it was knocked off at the sudden appearance of a body plopping down beside her.

"Hey, stranger," greeted a grinning Chris. Daniela didn't even have time to form a response before he placed a kiss on her cheek.

She sat stunned for a moment before a mustering a small smile for him.

"Hi."

Her eyes remained on her textbook, scanning the words more intensely this time. She was fully aware of him watching her.

"I was looking for you yesterday but your roommate said you had gone home for the weekend."

"Oh, yeah," she nodded, sparing him a short glance. "I went to go visit my dad."

It had been cathartic going to see him after such a hectic few months. Lawrence had been in high spirits with the visit of his children though the term no longer seemed fitting for the pair of them. They were growing up and his short stay on the other side of the glass had alerted him of it even more.

During their visit, it was evident to Daniela that her father was still grieving for his late wife and it didn't take long for her to come up into the conversation, with him asking Jakob to take some flowers around from him. Daniela had later declined her brother's offer to join him, citing that she would stop by some other time but if she were being completely honest, she hadn't been back to see her mother after leaving for college. It never seemed like the right time and she never seemed to be in the right head space for it.

She pushed down the guilty knot in her stomach and focused instead on what Chris was saying.

"Oh cool," he nodded, resting his elbow beside her pencil case. "Does he live very far?"

Daniela inhaled and flipped the page evasively. "You could say that."

"Maybe I could meet him someday," commented Chris, seemingly genuine. Daniela merely looked at him for a second, not bothering to respond. It wasn't exactly something she wanted to spend her time explaining.

Noting her impatience, Chris cleared his throat and carried on. He leaned forward so as to not disturb the other students using the library.

"Look, I- uh. I know things have been a little strange between us ever since the kiss," he began carefully. Daniela's eyes remained on her book though she was quickly losing focus. "And I understand if there are some things holding you back."

Her eyes narrowed to slits as she flicked to the next page. "What makes you say that?"

"Oh come on, Daniela," he said, tilting his head as if it were completely obvious. "I know that something happened to you, and I don't know what it was but I have an idea and I want you to know that-"

"See, I'm going to stop you right there," she interrupted. A single finger loomed in the air between them as she finally turned her head to scrutinize him, her eyes blazing. "Never assume anything about me again."

"Well, what else am I supposed to do when you don't tell me anything?" Chris defended, his own agitation building. "You won't even answer my calls."

"Did you ever think that maybe there was a reason for that?" She snapped. Closing her textbook, she packed up the rest of her stuff and slung her bag over her shoulder.

She took three steps before spinning on her heel.

"You wanna know why I've been dodging your calls?" She asked rhetorically, leaning down to meet his eye line. "It's because anytime something small happens you blow it way out of proportion." Daniela emphasized this by waving a hand around. "And I don't want you to get the wrong idea about this, okay? That night, it was just a kiss. Don't read into it."

"See!" He said, attracting the attention of the other students. A few turned to glare at him causing him to hush his voice. "When I think we're making progress you completely shut me out and it's like we're back at the beginning."

"Progress?" She spat, already halfway to the doors with Chris hot on her heels. "I don't _want_ to make progress. The whole point of this thing between us is so that we don't. I told you from the beginning that I didn't want anything serious. I thought you understood that." Once they were outside, she spun to glare up at him.

"I did."

"Then what the hell happened?"

"I like you!" He blurted out making Daniela thankful that they weren't in the library anymore. Chris released a long sigh as his shoulders slumped. "Despite how you've treated me this whole time, I like you. God, is it really that hard to believe?"

She laughed shortly. "Considering you were screwing other girls when we started this whole thing; yeah."

"Need I remind you that that has since stopped?" Argued Chris, looking about ready to tear his own hair out.

Scoffing lightly, Daniela rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Okay, I really don't have time for this."

At that moment, a shrill ringing alerted her of an incoming phone call. Any words Chris was planning to say died on the tip of his tongue as she wasted no time answering.

"Ella…" mumbled a broken Debbie. Instantly, the fire In Daniela's belly ignited even more at the sound of her voice.

Sparing Chris a short glance, she turned and walked away, her hand gripping the phone tightly as she ground out her next words.

"Tell me what happened."

/

It took some time but eventually, Daniela was able to make out enough of what Debbie was saying between her hiccups and once the full picture had been painted, she was fuming.

She had spilled that a week ago she had played a prank on Matty's new girlfriend, something Daniela was quick to chide her on. However, in retaliation, his girlfriend Seema had enlisted the help of her step brother to get Debbie in position for a slurry of degrading photos much to the girl's horror and embarrassment.

By the time Daniela rocked up outside Debbie's school, it had intensified, as if she could sense that Seema was on the premises. It didn't take her long to spy Debbie who was sat hunched over to the end of the steps.

Daniela's shadow over the younger girl caused her to look up, her red puffy eyes staring at her.

"Is she still here?" Asked Daniela bluntly. Debbie nodded and rose from the steps before leading her across the front of the building to where a girl and her kid brother were standing.

Daniela's eyes narrowed on her back before she nodded to Debbie.

"Wait here," she told her before rolling her shoulders and walking forward. Behind her, Debbie watched in a mix of dread and anticipation of what would happen.

Meanwhile, in Daniela's mind, she was trying her hardest to think of ways to deal with the situation as calmly and maturely as possible; something that became increasingly difficult the closer she got.

Plastering on a fake smile, she saddled up beside the object of her anger.

"Hi!" She greeted, sounding overly cheerful. Seema eyed her warily as Daniela placed a conversational hand on her hip.

"Hi?"

"Are you Seema?" Daniela asked, feigning cluelessness.

She watched Seema's eyes narrow in suspicion before she nodded after a moment. Nodding back, Daniela laughed slightly though it was bereft of any amusement.

"Great. You wouldn't happen to be the same bitch who took pictures of my friend Debbie would you?"

Her question seemed to knock the other girl of any composure; her mouth flapping open like a fish out of water. Staring past Daniela's shoulders, Seema narrowed her eyes at seeing Debbie who was watching the whole thing with her arms crossed.

Returning her attention to the fiery Latina in front of her, she raised her chin defiantly. "She started it."

"So, what? You just decided to pick on some kid?" Criticised Daniela, leaning her head closer and causing the other girl to retract her own. "I can get her doing some stupid shit, I mean she's young, she hasn't figured everything out yet. You on the other hand," she shrugged a single shoulder. "Well, you don't really have an excuse. You know, I could have your ass for child pornography?"

Seema began to stutter causing Daniela to nod, an all-knowing smile on her face. A second later, it was gone and instead replaced with a look that struck a lick of fear in Seema.

"So what you're going to do, is delete those pictures off of your Facebook or I go to the police," threatened Daniela, her voice dangerously low. She glanced between the girl and her step brother who was now cowering slightly behind her. "It's really up to you."

"I-I'll delete them," stuttered Seema, her eyes wide and lacking any confidence.

Daniela nodded, the corners of her mouth raising. "Good choice." She turned, set on walking away when a niggling thought caused her to turn back around.

"One last thing," she said, raising a finger. Seema frowned, too slow to register the fist coming right at her. It met its target, hitting her square in the jaw.

She stumbled back into her brother who flailed his arms in an attempt to catch her but failed causing her to fall back onto the pavement.

Daniela stood over her, half-surprised with herself. Shaking it off, she focused her glare down at the girl on the ground and pointed a finger at her for emphasis.

"Don't fuck with the Gallaghers."

Glancing to the side, she found Debbie who was smiling in astonishment along with a larger group of students and even a few curious parents. Daniela paid them no mind as she gestured for Debbie to come to her side.

The younger girl poked her tongue out before flipping Seema off as Daniela threw her arm around her shoulders.

"I can't believe you just did that!" She gushed as they walked away.

Daniela quirked a brow. "Me neither."

"It was totally awesome though."

"Yeah, yeah." She waved it off before wincing. She looked down at her knuckles and flexed them, feeling a sting of pain. "Just remember not to pick a fight with someone bigger than you." Huffing, she shoved her hand into her pocket before looking at Debbie. "You want to go get a hot chocolate or something?"

"Sure!" Agreed Debbie, her head bouncing in excitement and adrenaline. Daniela's smile grew as she pulled her closer against her side.

/

After a couple of hours, Daniela returned Debbie to her house. By then she was in much better spirits and back to her usual chatty self after having seen that Seema had followed through on her promise and deleted the images. Daniela knew that it wouldn't erase them for good but she at least hoped that they would fade into old news within the week.

They each stepped through the foyer into the lounge, with Daniela's eyes growing wide at the sight and sound of what seemed to be nearly a dozen kids residing in the living room. She assessed each of them and found that they were not familiar.

Moving her gaze around, she saw an Asian woman with a clipboard sitting on the sofa. It didn't take her long to figure out that she was from DCFS.

Debbie, still on a buzz, merely gave the guests a second of her time as she headed straight into the kitchen. Lip was seated at the table having dinner with three other people Daniela had never seen before.

At the sound of Debbie's skipping in, Lip tore his attention away from the adults to look at his sister.

He cracked a small smile at how happy she looked. "Hey, Debs. Where've you been?"

"Lip!" She gushed, grabbing onto his arm. "Oh my god, you should've seen it! It was amazing! Seema, you know, the bitch who's dating Matt? Well, she got her brother to trick me into kissing him in the hallway and then everyone took pictures."

Lip as instantly alert. His brow furrowed as he straightened in his chair to face her completely.

"Wait, what?"

Debbie simply waved it off, unbothered. "Don't worry, it's fine. I called Ella and she came down and talked to her about it." At the mention of her name, Lip's eyes flicked to rest on Daniela who stood quietly in front of the oven. She offered him a half-smile when their eyes met.

"You should've seen the look on her face when she told Seema she could get her arrested for child pornography." Debbie laughed loudly at the reminder of it. Daniela also couldn't help her small one as she picked at the leftover lasagne.

Glancing up at Lip's dinner guests, she snorted at the horrified looks on the married couple's faces as well as the one of utter glee on the girl's. Under more scrutiny, she realized that this girl must have been the 'Amanda' Lip had told her about. Her smile dropped slightly before she looked back down at the food.

Meanwhile, Debbie crept up on the end of her story by mimicking how Daniela had punched Seema in the face.

"And then she was all like 'don't fuck with the Gallaghers'," she said, putting on her best impression of Daniela's voice causing her to laugh outright.

Lip also chuckled, a little surprised before he raised a brow in Daniela's direction.

"What would your brother say if he heard you were going around hitting people?"

She huffed in amusement and rolled her eyes. "He'll be fine after I explain." Catching sight of her knuckles, she winced at seeing the redness. "Shit, speaking of..." she trailed off and headed to the freezer to grab a bag of frozen peas to rest against her hand.

Lip's grin widened unconsciously before he caught Amanda's look. Clearing his throat, he gestured between her and his sister.

"Right! Amanda, this is Debbie, my little sister. Debbie, this is Amanda and those are her parents, Jason and Sheryl." Debbie smiled at the pair who simply nodded back with strained ones. "She was just telling me about her ex-boyfriend's girlfriend. He's 18." Lip explained before calmly taking a drink of his beer.

"And you're…?" Asked Sheryl timidly.

"14," answered Lip matter-of-factly.

The woman's eyes widened, aghast, as her husband cleared his throat despite the fact that he hadn't yet touched his food.

Daniela's mouth pinched in amusement as Lip told them that there was plenty of dinner left for them.

"Oh, we already ate," said Debbie to which Daniela nodded. "I'm just gonna go up to my room. It was nice meeting you." She smiled once again at the guests before darting up the stairs.

Daniela lingered behind the counter for a few moments, her eyes flicking between Lip- who seemed to be avoiding her gaze- and Amanda, who eyed her curiously. Clearing her throat, she wasted no time following Debbie.

/

Debbie checks her Facebook. People have already seen the photos but she's just glad that Seema took them down.

"Thanks for today," began Debbie as they laid in her bed. They had been scrolling through Facebook for the past half-an-hour to see how bad the damage was. So far, it seemed quite good considering. While people had obviously saved copies of the pictures, the number of posts weren't as crazy as they had expected. "Really. If Seema had have kept those pictures up, I'm not sure I would've been able to handle it."

Daniela tutted and pulled Debbie closer so that she could kiss the side of her head. "I'm always here for you, you know that. Just promise me you won't get yourself into a situation like this again."

Debbie nodded at her seriousness. "I promise."

The phone in her hand vibrated before both looked to see a message from Matty.

I'm outside, can we talk?

"What should I do?" Frowned Debbie.

Daniela shrugged and nudged her shoulder. "Go see what he has to say.

Nodding, Debbie rose from her bed. She grabbed a jacket and a scarf on the way out the door.

Daniela pursed her lips and sighed before getting up and heading downstairs. Her ears pricked up at the sound of the conversation in the kitchen,

"Unless you got an 'A' in Macro and Philosophy, and a 'B' in Thermo," said Amanda, most likely talking about Lip's grades.

"What?" He asked, clearly confused. "Let me see that." It was quiet for a second before he huffed a laugh. "Holy shit. That's fantastic."

Deciding to say good night to Lip, Daniela moved towards the kitchen but paused dead in her tracks when she saw him lean over to kiss Amanda. She felt a sharp sting in her chest at the sheer joy on Lip's face as he kissed her.

Changing her mind, she turned on her heel before he could see her. Her coat was on and her feet were marching down the steps before she had time to fully process it. She blinked rapidly, trying to control her breathing as well as the burn in her nose that signaled an onslaught of tears.

Groaning, she clenched her eyes shut in an attempt to get rid of them before turning to head towards her house with the intention of popping in to see Jakob when her phone suddenly went off. Ian's name was illuminated on the screen before she answered it.

"Hey," she greeted warmly, shaking off any nagging thoughts about Lip.

On the other side of the line, she heard Ian joking around with someone in the background.

" _Ella!_ " He yelled, causing her to wince and pull the phone away from her ear. " _Guess who just came out?_ "

Daniela laughed slightly, not sure if he meant who she thought he did. "You're kidding."

" _Nope. He's here, he's queer and he doesn't give a fuck._ "

" _You're fucking asking for it now_ ," said the voice in the back who she now recognized to be Mickey.

" _Suck my dick,_ " quipped Ian, voice laced with humor which was then mirrored in Mickey's response.

" _You'd like that wouldn't you?_ "

Daniela laughed at their conversation, glad to see that the two had finally made up and that Mickey had accepted who he was.

"Well, I'm happy to hear it," she told her friend before quirking an eyebrow. "He certainly took his time."

" _See! That's what I was telling him!_ "

At the sound of sirens in the background, Daniela frowned. "Where are you?"

" _Oh, we're sitting outside the Alibi. We almost got arrested,_ " answered Ian in a tone so cavalier that it sent her into a shock.

"What!?"

" _Oh, yeah._ " She could just picture him shrugging. " _It was just Mick's asshole of a father._ "

Daniela tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and licked her lips. "Well, are you okay? Do want me to come meet you guys?"

" _Nah, I think we'll be alright. I mean, apart from the bruised ribs and chipped teeth._ " Daniela's eyes widened and she wasn't sure if he was joking or not. " _We're gonna head back to Mickey's but I just wanted to let you know that the fag is finally out._ "

The sound of shoving on the other side of the phone rattled in Daniela's ear followed quickly by a pained groan from Ian.

" _Fuck that hurt,_ " he cursed under his breath. " _Anyway, I'll talk to you tomorrow._ "

"Okay, but call me if the pain gets really bad," she said, already worrying about their health. From the sounds of his groan, it seemed like he wasn't lying about the bruised ribs.

" _Will do. Bye, Ella!_ "

Huffing a laugh, she tucked her free hand into her pocket. "Bye, Ian."

The call ended promptly, leaving Daniela to wipe some hair out of her eyes as she came to the front of her house. She smiled to herself; the sound of Ian's laughter and happiness filling her with warmth. Beneath that was something less joyful and more morose as her mind drifted to Lip and Amanda.

Telling herself to forget about it, Daniela heaved a sigh before unlocking the door and heading inside.

* * *

.

We're almost there people! One more to go. Thanks for all of the great comments you guys have been leaving, it's always entertaining to read your thoughts on what's going on.

 _Special thanks to_ RHatch89, icantfindacreativeusername, angelicedg, Hapsgurl80, 13teen, littlerosebudbroke, and SilverNightmares for reviewing!

 **REVIEW!**


	44. Lazarus

**Chapter 44.**

I think this is the fastest I've ever updated.

Anyways, I really like this chapter and I hope you do too. Let me know and enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Shameless.

* * *

"I need to vent."

Mandy, who was carrying a tray of dirty dishes, frowned as she placed them down next to the dishwasher.

"Is this about your guy?" She asked while reaching for a nearby cloth to wipe her hands.

At the pass, Daniela stood by waiting for her order to be finished. She seemed anxious though Mandy figured it was more about what was weighing so heavily on her mind rather than getting the food out to the customers.

"Yes…and no," said Daniela, tilting her head. "And he's not my guy."

"Clearly. What's up?"

"Order up!" Yelled Charlie, the chef before hitting the bell. Daniela wiped her hands on her apron and picked up three of the plates.

She gulped as she glanced sideways at the other girl. "I think I still have feelings for Lip."

Mandy snorted and picked up the other two plates. "Yeah, obviously."

"What?" Hissed Daniela in a whisper as they made their way to the table.

"Are you kidding me? You just figured it out? God, you're in college, you're supposed to be smart."

"That is beside the point, okay?" Pausing, she placed the food down and offered the customers a smile even though they were hardly paying attention to the two waitresses. "What do you mean it was obvious?" She asked once they were a decent distance away.

Mandy rolled her eyes. "I mean that ever since this shit with Liam happened, you two have been getting closer again."

"That didn't necessarily mean I had feelings for him. I-I could've been worried purely from a friendly point of view."

Mandy simply gave her a look that indicated otherwise. Sighing, she placed a hand on her cocked out hip as they stood to the side to wait for plates to clear.

"And I'm guessing you're freaking because a) you still have feelings for the douchebag who cheated on you, and b) you don't know how to handle the situation with this other guy."

With a grimace, Daniela sighed in defeat.

"It's like he expects so much from me but I don't know how to be myself around him," she disclosed, feeling the weight lift off of her chest. "We got into it the other day. I don't know, it's just...when I signed onto this thing with Chris, I only wanted one thing and now he's trying to complicate it all by throwing feelings into the mix. He told me he liked me. _Liked_ me," she emphasized, her voice laced with worry. "How the hell am I supposed to respond to that?"

"Look," sighed Mandy, her face remaining impassive. "Either you try to move on and cut your losses with Lip, or you end it with this Chris guy."

Daniela nodded as her eyes drifted to the clock hanging on the wall.

"My shift is up," she announced, finally happy about one thing. Mandy also turned her attention to the clock and groaned at seeing that she still had an hour to go.

Daniela pulled at the knot of her apron and headed back to the pass while Mandy went back to tending her tables.

"Hey, Charlie?" She called to the chef. "Could I get two grilled chicken melts to go?"

"Sure," nodded Charlie as he turned over the bacon on the grill. "Shouldn't be too long."

"Thanks," smiled Daniela before tapping the counter and heading back around to the front. Walking to the end, she leaned against it and flipped through a menu while she waited. At the sound of hands slapping down on the counter, she looked up to see Mandy staring back at her.

"What?" She asked blankly.

"He's here."

"Who?"

"Lip," answered Mandy with an eye roll. At that, Daniela's eyes widened slightly.

"What? Where?"

"Table 8." Daniela began to turn her head until Mandy stopped her. "Oh shit."

"What?" Frowned the other girl, her brow raising.

"He's coming over," said Mandy; her voice hushed. Daniela's mouth opened to ask how close he was but judging by her friend's look, he wasn't too far away.

Gulping, she twisted around and came face-to-face with Lip, but not just Lip- Lip in a suit. A very nice suit. It took her about three seconds before her eyes flicked back up to meet his.

"Hey," he greeted, with a small smile.

"Hey," she said back, slightly surprised. "Did you need something? Coffee? Because I'm just finishing up but Mandy can help you out." She jutted her head in the direction of the other waitress who had taken off as soon as he showed up.

"No, that's okay. I just came to talk to you."

"Oh." Daniela nodded along, now even more surprised. "Why?"

Lip's smirk grew as he quirked a brow at her. "Can I not?"

"Of course you can," she replied, laughing slightly. "What's up?"

"Nothing," he shrugged, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "I, uh. It's just that we didn't really get a chance to talk the other night."

"Talk about what?" Frowned Daniela, an image of him and Amanda kissing flying into her head.

"Well, I don't know." He glanced over his shoulder to where Amanda was sitting wearing a flower crown and flowy white dress. "How are you?" He asked, focusing his attention back on her. "Debbie said you punched a girl. That's not usually your style."

"It was a rough day, besides it's not like it's the first," shrugged Daniela.

Lip's head bowed for a moment causing her to regret bringing it up. That was somewhere neither of them wanted to revisit.

Lifting his head, he nodded. "Right. But you're okay now?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, don't worry," she assured him. Despite herself, she couldn't help but look him up and down whilst trying to keep the silent appreciation off of her face. "What's with the suit?"

As if remembering, Lip looked down at himself and adjusted the lapels of his suit jacket.

"Oh, Amanda had this sorority thing."

Daniela nodded in approval, noticing his slight hesitation to tell her but she didn't understand why. Absentmindedly, she reached out to feel it. It certainly didn't look cheap and she had a pretty good idea that Amanda was the one who gave it to him.

Her hands smoothed over his chest as she felt the fabric. Lip stood, rigid under her touch. His eyes bore down on her, something unmistakeable swirling around in them as he watched her admire the piece of clothing.

Suddenly catching herself, Daniela's hand paused until it was just resting above his heart. Her face was sheepish as she turned her stare up to meet his. Her hand fell away quick as lightning.

"Sorry," she mumbled, trying to laugh it off at the end.

Lip just shook his head, not seeming to mind. He cast another look over his shoulder towards Amanda whose eyes flicked back down to her menu once they met his. Daniela, seeing this, cleared her throat and took a step back.

Luckily, she didn't have to scramble for something to say as Mandy swooped back in at the last second.

"Charlie said your food's nearly done," she said, causing Daniela to quietly sigh in relief.

"Thanks," she answered back sincerely. Mandy nodded and flicked her eyes between the two, seeming to pick up on their sudden awkwardness before taking off again.

"I should probably get back to Amanda," said Lip.

Daniela nodded and mustered up a small smile. "Sure. You two have a good night."

Lip folded his mouth and tapped his hand on the counter before spinning around and walking back to his booth where Amanda sat, pretending to read her menu.

"Was that the girl from last night?" She asked as soon as he sat down.

Lip nodded and slung his arm across the top of the booth. "Yeah."

"You never got around to introducing her."

"Oh, she's friends with my brother," said Lip evasively. Before Amanda could further question him, he slid over a menu to skim over it. "Alright, what's everyone getting?" He asked, his eyes instinctively flicking back to the counter where Mandy was handing Daniela a bag of food.

He watched as she pulled on her coat and scarf before heading out the door. Once the bell rang out behind her and she was out of his sight, Lip cleared his throat and turned back around, his ears catching onto Amanda's conversation with her friends.

/

When Daniela woke the next morning, she was surprised at the number of miss calls she had from Simon and Ian. Curious, as well as a little worried, she punched in Ian's number. It only took a few short seconds before the other line crackled into her ear along with a rough voice.

"It's about fuckin' time, Kaufman."

Daniela's brow hiked in confusion as she wiped the sleep out of her eyes. "What? Mickey? Why do you have Ian's phone?"

"I've been tryna call you for an hour now," answered the Milkovich, his aggravation evident. "Does nobody answer their fuckin' phones?"

"Sorry, I was asleep." She sat up on her bed and wiped a hand over her face, still exhausted. "What's going on?"

"You need to get your ass here right now."

Instantly, Daniela's hand slid from her face, replaced with a look of anxiety. "Is it something to do with Ian?"

Mickey didn't answer right away, causing a ball of nerves to develop in the pit of her stomach. After what seemed like forever, he sucked his teeth before grinding out, "Just get here."

/

Within an hour, Daniela was outside Mickey's house. Not wasting any time, she jogged up the stairs before knocking on the door. Vaguely, she heard voices shouting inside; no doubt being Mickey and his sister, before it opened to reveal the disgruntled guy who had developed a close bond with her best friend.

"Fuckin' finally," he said shortly though Daniela could've sworn she heard some relief in there too. Jutting his chin, he headed inside with the girl following closely behind.

"What the hell is going on?" She asked as he led her down the hallway. Before she could get her answer, Mandy and Simon emerged from a room, shutting the door behind them.

They each wore saddened expressions with none of them helping to quell the dread building up inside of her. Their mouths folded when they saw Daniela standing with Mickey.

"Hey, Ella," greeted Simon though it lacked his usual joy. Beside him, Mandy toyed with the sleeve of her sweatshirt, the action causing Daniela to eye the two of them warily.

"Alright, can someone tell me what the hell is going on here?" She demanded, her eyes whipping to all three of them.

"It's Ian," began Mandy, her voice barely audible. The sight of her timidity scared the other girl. "We don't know what's wrong with him."

Daniela frowned and turned her attention to Mickey. "Wrong? What do you mean wrong?"

His arms were crossed as he stared at the door of the room. "I don't know, he's been in bed for nearly two fuckin' days I can't get 'im to do anything."

"Well, is he sick?"

"No," denied Mickey, his words growing more hurried as he elaborated. "He was fine before. Jumpin' off walls, throwing fists. I couldn't pin 'im down he was so wired."

Daniela frowned, the whole thing sounding familiar to what she had experienced with Ian. "Then what changed?"

"The fuck should I know?" Shrugged Mickey, a sliver of worry passing over his face.

Daniela heaved a sigh before pointing at the door. "He in there?"

At his nod of confirmation, she edged forward to push open the door. Slowly, she craned her neck through the gap; her eyes falling on Ian's figure. His back was to her as he lay on his side. Chancing a look behind her at Mandy and Simon, she continued on and circled around the bed until she could see his face.

Perching by his legs, she placed the back of her hand against his forehead to check his temperature. It felt fine which worried her even more given the look of fatigue on his face. Gently, she raked a hand through his hair, his heavy eyes opening a sliver at the feel of it.

The corner of her mouth inched upwards as she took him in. "Hey."

Ian's brow furrowed as he nudged his head further into the pillow. "I'm tired."

Daniela's mouth pinched. "You've been asleep for a while though. Don't you want to get some fresh air? Or, at least, get into some fresh clothes?"

"No."

"How about some food? You must be starving."

"Get…out," mumbled Ian causing Daniela's hand to still. She felt her eyes water and her mouth twist at the sound of emptiness in his voice.

Sniffling, she leaned forward to press a kiss to the side of his head before standing and heading back into the hallway where the others were watching and waiting.

"You said he was like this all day yesterday?" Questioned Daniela as she wiped at her damp cheeks. Mickey nodded as they moved down the hallway into the lounge.

"Have you seen him like this before?" Asked Mandy, drawing Daniela's attention away from her brother. "You know, when he was with you?"

Daniela shook her head, a frown forming. "No, he was the complete opposite. I mean, up all hours of the night, throwing parties in the dorm. I-" She stuttered, not sure what was wrong with her friend. "I don't know what this is." Turning her head, she looked at Mickey. "Did you call his family? Lip?"

"The two kids came over last night to see him," nodded Mickey, resorting to biting his nail. "They didn't say much."

At the sound of a knock at the door, Mandy tore her eyes away from the group and went to answer it. Daniela glanced at Simon who seemed equally as upset as everyone else. The two had grown closer in recent months and she knew the worry was eating him up inside.

They each heard footsteps approaching as Mandy came back in with Fiona, Debbie, and Carl trailing behind her. At the sight of the woman, Daniela rushed forward to pull her in for a hug. Fiona returned it furiously, clinging to the younger girl. She hadn't had the chance to see her, having been too busy with midterms to help track her down.

"When did you get back?" Asked Daniela, pulling away and tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"This morning," answered Fiona, not sounding as happy as she should've been. Her eyes shifted to Mickey who was waiting to the side anxiously. "Where is he?"

/

"You want to get up? I'll make you a sandwich."

Daniela stood between Mandy and Mickey in the hallway, watching as Fiona tried to coax Ian out of bed.

"Or we could go for a run at the track. You want to go for a run? Get some fresh air?" It was silent for a few more seconds which Fiona took as a definitive answer.

Pressing a kiss to his hair, she climbed off of the bed and wiped at the eyes. On her way out of the room, she gestured for them to follow her.

"How long's he been like that?"

"Since yesterday morning," answered Mickey as they came to stand in the lounge.

"And he hasn't gotten out of bed?"

"No, he's just sleeping. I can't get him up, I-I tried."

"Yeah, so did I," nodded Mandy as Simon took hold of her hand.

"I've been trying to get him to eat something but he just doesn't want to," he added, his face solemn. Feeling bad for him, Daniela reached out to squeeze his arm reassuringly.

"Okay, and what about before?" Asked Fiona, placing her hands on her hips. "What was he like?"

"Before he was fine, he was happy. He's staying up all hours of the night, dancing, telling fuckin' jokes. He kicks my ass every day, I can't keep up with him."

"We've got to get a hold of Lip, he should know," said Fiona, turning her attention to Debbie. At that, Daniela's brow raised.

"Know what? Do you know what it is?"

"Uh, depression. I think."

"He's depressed? What do you mean he's- we all get fucking depressed, how the fuck could we not living around here?"

"I don't think it's that kind of depression Mickey," sighed Daniela as she came to a grim realization. Suddenly, all of the pieces fell into place. Chewing her lip, she turned to face Fiona. "Are you sure?"

"Sure?" Frowned Mickey; eyes darting back and forth between the two. "Sure about what?"

Fiona raked a hand through her hair and sighed. "Look, I could be wrong, but it could be bipolar disease like our mom."

"Bi- what? What the fuck is that?"

"It's manic depression, Mick," said Mandy as she grabbed onto her brother's arm to calm him down.

"It's like high-highs followed by low-lows over and over again," explained Fiona before raking a hand through her hair. "We'll get him an appointment at the clinic, and we'll see what they say."

"What, no." Mickey shook his head, instantly against the idea. "Look, we'll just cheer him up."

"It's not that easy," said Daniela carefully, tilting her head. She knew he was trying to protect Ian but at the same time, they needed to consider the dangers if Ian really was bipolar.

Beside her, Fiona nodded in agreement. "He may have to be hospitalized."

"What do you mean, like a psych ward?" At Fiona's face, he began shaking his head furiously. "No fucking way. No fucking way! He's staying here."

"He could end up suicidal!"

"Then we hide the knives until he perks up. I can take care of him, just let me take care of him," he said as he began to pace. "He's not going to some fucking psych ward."

"Mickey, maybe we should-"

"No." Mickey shook his head again, stopping whatever Simon was trying to say. Instead, he gestured towards Daniela for help. "Kaufman, tell her."

Daniela stuttered at the feeling of being put on the spot. Her eyes flicked back and forth between Mickey and Fiona as she tried to think of the best way to handle the situation.

With a sigh, she looked at Mickey. "Look, I don't want Ian in the hospital any more than you do but we don't have the proper resources to take care of him here."

At her response, Mickey's anger flared up again. "Hell no. Hell fucking no. We're taking care of him here," he stated before gesturing between all of them. "You, me, them. His fucking family."

He wiped a hand over his mouth in frustration before heading into the kitchen. Behind his back, Daniela shared a deflated look with Fiona until the sound of her phone cut into the silence.

"Shit," she mumbled under her breath, seeing Chris' name flashing up at her. Raking a hand through her hair, she moved to the corner of the room to answer it. "Hello?"

"Hey, we need to talk," he said shortly and leaving no room for argument.

Daniela clenched her eyes shut. "Uh, I'm actually kind of busy right now. Do you think we could do it later?"

"I think it would be better if we just got things out of the way first." When Daniela didn't budge, she heard his voice come through again. "Please?"

A long pause followed before she eventually sighed and nodded. "Okay. I can meet you at the café near the Business building in about…" She whipped her head around in search of a clock. "40 minutes."

"Yeah, that sounds good," agreed Chris, satisfied.

"Okay, see you then."

Once the call ended, she felt like banging her head against a wall. There was too much going on already and while she really didn't want to deal with Chris, she knew that he was right in saying that it would be best to get it out of the way.

Heading over to Simon, she let him know that she was going out for a bit but coming back later, and then she was out the door on her way to confront Chris.

/

Her fingernails tapped against the side of the paper coffee cup. Across from her sat Chris, equally silent. Neither had said much during the ten minutes they had been there except to order their drinks. She watched as he raised his own cup to his mouth and took a sip. Her eyes flicked down to her own and the hand splayed out on the table top.

"You were right," she finally said. Chancing a quick look at him, she continued. "Before I came here, I went through a pretty rough time. A lot happened and it's something that I'm still trying to deal with." The pad of her finger pressed down on a few beads of sugar as she shook her head. "Regardless, it doesn't excuse how I've treated you; like some sort of walking fix for my problems."

"When I met you, I didn't want any attachments. I thought that in some way, it would help me to...seperate myself from my thoughts. And, for a little while, it worked, but then these things that I had been trying to move on from came rushing back into my life and ever since then I've been struggling to decide what to do. And I suppose, in the process, I forgot to take your feelings into consideration." Daniela's eyes softened as she stared across at an attentive Chris. "I'm sorry if I hurt you because I really didn't mean to. I never wanted to."

Chris nodded back solemnly; his hands folding together. "Was there ever any part of you that thought this could work?"

Daniela rolled her mouth in contemplation before tilting her head.

"I'd be lying if I said a part of me didn't want this because I do-" she assured him, though there was no promise in there. "But I don't know how. It's like-" she struggled to put it into words. Licking her lips, she heaved a sigh as a watery sheen took over her eyes. "It's like I can't trust myself to trust others without worrying that one of us will just fuck things up. Because I don't want that. I- I don't think I'd be able to handle that if it were to happen to me again."

Throughout her entire confession, Chris remained silent. He wore a small frown as he studied her body language. Her shoulders were hunched, but for the first time ever, she was opening herself up to him and while he had wished it were under happier circumstances, he couldn't deny that things made a lot more sense now.

Daniela's mouth twisted as she sniffed, wishing away the unshed tears. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm sorry I couldn't be enough for you."

Chris' frown deepened in disagreement before he shook his head and leaned forward.

"I had no expectations about who I wanted you to be," he told her causing Daniela to release a ragged breath. "I just wanted you to open up to me."

"I know you did," she nodded, toying with her paper cup. Meeting his eyes again, she shook her head sadly. "I just don't think that I can."

Silence ate away at the space around them as each took a moment to process what this meant. Eventually, Chris cleared his throat and bobbed his head to himself.

"So I guess this is it, huh?"

Daniela nodded slowly in agreement, her shoulders lifting slightly. "I guess so."

Chris exhaled a long breath across from her before also nodding. "Thank you for finally being honest with me. I would normally say that we could still be friends but uh... I'm not so sure."

Daniela managed to muster up a half-smile, though she was sure it didn't convince either of them. "That's fine."

Without another word, Chris rose from his chair, taking his cold coffee with him. He paused briefly, his mind trying to figure out the right parting words before choosing to simply leave. Daniela tried to not let it get to her.

Her eyes fell shut and she sunk down into her chair. Behind her, she heard the sound of the bell over the door sounding out Chris' exit.

/

When she arrived at Mickey's house the second time, Lip was sat out front. His gloved hands were clasped together as a cigarette hung limply in his mouth. Daniela crossed into his line of vision; her hands shoved deep into her pockets and a deflated look on her face.

He raised his chin in greeting.

Wordlessly, she took a seat beside him, quickly accepting the second cigarette he offered out to her.

"What's the verdict?" She asked as she lit the end.

Lip toyed with his own, a faraway look on his face. "It looks a hell of a lot like Monica."

"Thinking back, I should've realized. That whole time he was with me he was just completely off."

"Don't beat yourself up about it. You wouldn't have known. Me on the other hand, well…" he shrugged his shoulders. "I've seen enough of that shit to know."

"You already had too much on your plate," she reasoned, turning her chin to meet his eyes. "Something like that would've just slipped under your nose."

Lip's eyes roamed over her face giving her a chance to try and pinpoint exactly what she saw in them. There was understanding, as well as something else- something that scared her if she dwelled on it for too long. Nevertheless, neither pulled away, not for a long while until she finally has to break it to save herself.

She placed the cigarette between her lips and shifted her gaze to the car parked across the street.

"Nice car," she said, drawing the smoke away from her mouth. She glanced sideways at Lip. "Is it Amanda's?"

He studied it for a second and nodded, his eyes falling to his lap. "Yeah, she's letting me borrow it for the day."

Daniela nodded, her teeth taking the inside of her cheek between them. "She seemed nice," she said, trying her hardest to sound genuine before quirking a brow. "Can't say the same for her parents."

Lip chuckled and flicked the ash off of his cigarette. "Yeah, they're uh… not exactly approving of her ghetto white trash boyfriend."

Choosing to ignore the sting at the word, Daniela instead mustered up a small amused smile. "That explains the other night."

"Her dad paid me 10 grand to stay away from her."

Daniela's brow raised in surprise. "And you took it?"

"Mmhm," he nodded, making her laugh outright. He watched her with a small grin before catching himself and looking out at the street again. "It should cover the bills for a while until we get back on our feet. Amanda reckons I could've squeezed out at least another 5 if I held on."

Shrugging, Lip took another inhale of his cigarette.

"Anyway, what about you?" He asked, settling his attention on her. She stared back cluelessly. "Your, uh…friend."

Daniela put her own smoke out and heaved a sigh, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I uh, I ended things with him," she revealed, pressing her lips together. "About an hour ago actually." Feeling his eyes on her, she twisted her neck to meet them and mustered up a smile. "It was for the best anyway, it would have never worked out."

"Why's that?" Frowned Lip. He seemed to have an idea but Daniela wasn't about to admit anything- especially to him.

Instead, she pursed her lips and shrugged, deflated.

"Because, despite trying my hardest, I can't seem to move on."

There was a crease in Lip's forehead when she chanced another look at him. His stare had intensified and there's a rigidity to his jaw that she figures means he understands what she's implying. But it wasn't just him. It was her mother as well.

Twisting her mouth, she stared at her hands and rose, abruptly, rose from the steps. Lip's eyes followed her movement as she dusted herself off.

"I'm gonna head back in," she said before clearing her throat and avoiding his eyes. She didn't want to look at him. She didn't want to see whatever emotions were lurking around in there.

Daniela remained standing there for another moment, debating whether to say something but ultimately deciding against it. With the door closing behind her, she left Lip alone to his thoughts which were growing more and more difficult by the minute.

* * *

Like I said in the beginning, there are so many things I love about this chapter. Obviously, we have the Ian bombshell as well as Daniela's resolution with Chris and finally, that moment of opening up with Lip.

Let me know what you thought of each of these things and I'll see you in Season 5 - AKA the one where shit starts to get real.

 _Special thanks to_ 13teen, Hapsgurl80, angelicedg, RHatch89, LolaCat, Raging Raven, Guest, and littlerosebudbroke for reviewing!

 **REVIEW!**


	45. Milk of the Gods

**Chapter 45.**

This season is going to be a good one, enjoy!

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shameless.

* * *

Daniela pulled the zips closed on her duffle bag and stood back to wipe the few beads of sweat off of her forehead. Summer break had officially begun and, needless to say, the whole campus was buzzing with excited energy. Judging by the constant whoops that could be heard out in the corridor, the party had already begun.

Grinning to herself, Daniela arranged all of her bags together before plopping down to sit on her bare bed. On the other side of the room, her roommate Megan followed a similar routine.

"Any plans for the summer?" Asked Daniela as she watched her.

Megan paused from her packing briefly to cast a smile over her shoulder. "Just visiting my grandparents. They're getting old and senile but their Summerhouse is to die for," she gushed causing Daniela to smile back. "What about you?"

"Just work," she shrugged lamely. At her lackluster response, Megan turned to frown at her.

"That's it?"

"That's it," laughed Daniela, realizing how little she had to do.

Megan pouted, feeling bad for the other girl. "Well, at least try and have a little fun. Who knows? You might meet someone."

Grinning, Daniela shook her head. "I doubt that."

At the sound of her phone chiming, she reached for it and checked the screen to see that it was a text from her brother.

"Okay," she said out loud, gaining Megan's attention. "My brother just got here." After texting back her dorm room number, Daniela rose from the bed and began to gather her bags together. Not even a minute later, there was a knock on the frame of the already-open door.

Glancing in its direction, Daniela beamed at Jakob who returned it.

"Hey kiddo," he greeted as he moved forward to scoop her up into a hug. Daniela returned it furiously, glad to see him again before stepping back and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "You all set?"

"Yeah, I'm good to go," nodded Daniela.

Jakob then picked up two of her bags leaving her with just the one and nodded his head to the door. "I'll wait for you downstairs."

Nodding, the girl turned back to her roommate who was just finishing up with her own belongings.

"I'm heading off now but I'll see you in the Fall," said Daniela as she slung the strap of her duffel bag up onto her shoulder. Megan spun on the spot before reaching out to meet the other girl's incoming hug.

"Have a good Summer!" She called out behind Daniela as she headed out the door.

"You too!"

Heading down the stairs, Daniela soon found Jakob waiting right outside the entrance. Once he spotted her, he picked up the bags again before leading her to where he had parked the truck.

"How've you been?" She asked on the way. They hadn't seen each other for almost a month.

"Good," responded Jakob, throwing her a grin. "Work's been pretty flat out but on my off days, I usually spend time with Katherine or I go and see Grandma."

"How are they?" Asked Daniela conversationally.

"Gram's good. Still hates the retirement home. I took her out for the day to go and see Mom, she appreciated that."

Daniela's stride slowed at the mention of their mother. In a few months, they would be coming up on the anniversary of her death which seemed surreal to her. Even after all that time, however, she had barely made any progress in truly moving past the tragic event and the grief that came with it.

Now that she was going home for the Summer, she was sure that there would be many reminders of her as well as many urges from her brother to go and see her but still, Daniela hadn't yet managed to work up the courage to do so.

/

"Hey, we're gonna go over to Katherine's tonight if that's okay with you?" Began Jakob on the drive back, throwing her a sideways glance. "She wants to have dinner to celebrate you finishing your first year."

"Yeah, that sounds fun," nodded Daniela, a small smile lifting her features at the thought of getting to hang out with his girlfriend again.

Katherine and her brother were still going strong and the woman was someone Daniela definitely approved of. It would be the first time going to Katherine's place but from what Jakob had told her, she lived in a nice apartment close to the center of the city.

A comfortable silence filled the truck as the landscape outside of the window began to materialize into more familiar surroundings. After being away for what felt like forever, Daniela took this time to assess the many changes taking shape in their neighborhood.

"We have a yoga studio now?" She asked, a brow quirking in surprise.

"Yeah, places like it have been cropping up more and more recently."

Daniela's mouth thinned in distaste. The mere thought of places like that in their neighborhood would've seemed near impossible only a year ago but by the looks of how much construction was going on, it was about to be the new norm.

She didn't like it.

Eventually, the truck pulled into the curb outside of their house. Slipping her seatbelt off, Daniela opened the door to the feeling of a wave of heat smacking her in the face. She grimaced before grabbing a few of her bags while Jakob carried the remainder.

She had been back once or twice to visit her brother after Ian's slip into a deep depression but the feeling of walking back into the house still comforted her as if she had been gone forever.

"Everything should be where you left it," said Jakob as they entered her room. "I washed the linen though, just in case it was dusty."

"Thanks," replied Daniela, dropping the duffel bag onto the bed with a sigh.

"No problem." Jakob placed her last bag down beside her chest of drawers. "I'll let you unpack. You want a sandwich?"

"No thanks," she shook her head, eyes flicking around the room. "I'm good."

"Alright. Call if you need anything."

Daniela listened as her brother's footsteps carried down the stairs before spinning around, taking in the whole room. Her brother wasn't kidding. Everything was exactly how she had left it.

Her feet crossed the room to where her desk was placed. Art pencils, as well as some good quality paper, were stacked neatly to the side, untouched. She hadn't had much time for her hobby with how hectic the past year had been.

Finally, her eyes came to rest on her family photograph. Biting the inside of her cheek, Daniela picked it up to stare at the image of her mother, brother and herself on her fifth birthday. Her brow furrowed in thought as she brushed the pad of her thumb over their faces; the sight of her mother's smile causing her chest to clench painfully.

Pressing her lips together, she placed the frame back into its original position. Her thumb brushed against her index finger, feeling the build-up of dust. Not wanting to linger any longer, she forewent unpacking and headed downstairs.

"Hey," she began, coming to stand in the archway of the living room. Jakob twisted around on the sofa to look at her as she jutted a thumb in the direction of the door. "I'm just heading out for a bit."

"Sure, no problem," nodded Jakob before settling back into his seat with his sandwich. "Dinner's at 6."

Storing that piece of information away, Daniela slipped on her shoes and headed out the door into the sweltering heat.

/

"So what, you bang a bunch of coeds up at college?"

Lip accepted the offered smoke from Stumpy's hand and brought it to his lips. "Here and there," he shrugged, releasing the puff of smoke. "Hey, you still at your dad's chop-shop Wayne?"

"When he gets the work," answered the second guy as he lounged against the steps of his house. "Towelheads are getting most of the scrap now. But did you hear? Stumpy knocked up Gloria Hu."

Lip's brow raised in surprise as his attention returned to his old friend. "Oh, shit."

Stumpy simply shook his head making his various piercings jiggle. "She squirted a kid out two months ago. I ain't convinced it's mine though so I'm saving up to get one of those DNA tests."

"Right," nodded Lip as he placed the smoke between his lips again. He glanced at his watch impatiently as his mind tried to find an excuse to split from them when Wayne let out a low whistle and jutted his chin across the street.

"Wouldn't mind a piece of that," he said with a sly grin.

Frowning, Lip looked over his shoulder to see Daniela. The cigarette in his mouth hung a little looser as they all watched her walk down the street. The weather had warmed up leaving them with a good look at her tanned legs.

Daniela appeared blind to the lingering looks on her as she raked her hands through her hair in an attempt to pull it up into a messy bun. Lip's eyes remained on her as she came to stop outside of his house. Meanwhile, behind him, the other guys continued their conversation.

"Haven't seen her around here in a while."

"I think she went away to college like this pussy."

"Aye, weren't you hitting that, bro?" Asked Stumpy. Snapping out of his thoughts, Lip twisted back around and nodded slightly, not really wanting to elaborate any further.

Across the street, Daniela stood conversing with his brother and sister. Debbie was still taking her anger out on a doll but occasionally glanced upwards to reply to the older girl.

Sensing eyes on her, Daniela looked out to see Lip staring back. She cracked a small smile and raised her hand in greeting. He returned it before turning back to the guys.

"I'm just gonna-" He gestured over his shoulder to the house causing the others to a share a few knowing looks. "I haven't had a chance to go inside yet," continued Lip in an attempt to shrug off their suspicions.

Stumpy let out a howl of laughter before leaning forward to clap him on the shoulder. "No judgment, we get it."

Bobbing his head in amusement, Lip dipped out and headed across the street where Daniela was still stood talking to Carl and Debbie. As he approached he caught onto their conversation.

"-needs something at the bottom to help smooth it out," said Daniela with her hands on her hips. She was currently scrutinizing the ramp Carl had thrown together to help get his new scooter up and through the door.

As Carl peered over the side to look at his wheels, Daniela glanced over her shoulder, quickly catching sight of Lip.

"Hey," she smiled once he was close enough to hear her.

"Hey," he replied. "Did you just get back?"

Daniela bobbed her head. "Yeah, Jake came and got me." Her eyes shifted past his shoulder to the trio of boys sitting on the stairs across the street. Already watching the pair, they waved cheekily at the two of them causing Daniela to smile slightly and quirk a brow at Lip. "Is that Stumpy?"

"They were just telling me that he knocked up Gloria Hu," replied Lip with a nod. He spared the pack another glance but they seemed to be more concerned with their joints than him and Daniela anymore.

Beside him, Daniela's brow lifted. "No shit," she mumbled before waving a hand in his brother's direction. "Well, Carl was just showing me his new wheels."

"Where'd you even get that?" Frowned Lip, turning his attention to his injured brother.

Carl simply shrugged and played with the joystick. "I found it on the side of the street."

"You mean you _stole_ it from the side of the street," criticised Debbie behind them on the steps. She paused in her stabbing of a doll to meet Carl's scowl.

"You don't know, you weren't there."

Rolling her eyes, the girl brought the pen down into the plastic doll once again, working out her frustrations. Daniela and Lip stood watching her, a bemused expression on each of their faces.

"You alright, Debs?" Questioned Daniela, her voice laden with concern but the younger girl simply growled to herself.

"Stupid bitches."

"You need me to hit someone again?"

"Not until I do it first," responded Debbie bitterly, not lifting her eyes.

Daniela's brow raised as she shared a look with Lip. They both shrugged, sure that the girl would come to either of them if she needed anything. Picking up his bag- which Daniela then realized was a garbage bag- Lip ruffled Carl's hair on the way up the steps.

Following behind, Daniela paused when she got to Debbie.

"We'll talk later, okay?"

Debbie nodded shortly as Daniela kissed her hair before going inside. Once she was out of the heat and into the slightly cooler household, she used her shirt to fan herself.

In the kitchen, Lip pulled out a couple of drinks and handed her one once she was beside him. She accepted it with quiet thanks and cracked it open quickly, the cool temperature feeling amazing.

"You been keeping in touch with Ian lately?" Asked Lip as he leaned against the sink.

Daniela nodded and took a long gulp of her drink. "Yeah, now and then. I tried to stop by a couple of times to see him but college was keeping me busy."

"Yeah, I know the feeling. You know if he ever went to get checked out?"

"Nope," said Daniela with a sad shake of her head. "He and Mickey have been pretty stubborn about it all. It's like the episode was nothing but a blip on the radar for him."

She sighed in resignation. "Mandy's been keeping me updated but Simon managed to rope her into going to Denver with him for the Summer so I'll most likely be going over there a lot to check up on him."

"Denver, huh?" Lip bobbed his head. "Looks like things are getting pretty serious between them."

"Mhm. Quite frankly, I think she just can't wait to get the fuck out of here."

"I don't blame her," said Lip before taking a sip of his drink.

Daniela toyed with her own and leaned against the adjacent counter. "So what are you planning to do for the break?"

"Uh, I was gonna go talk to Tommy," he responded, wiping the back of his hand across his mouth. "He promised me a job on his demo site. You?"

Daniela shrugged. "Apart from work and checking up on Ian, I don't have much else to do. I'm pretty sure he'll be too busy with Mickey anyway so I'll probably just relax in the sun."

Nodding, Lip placed his empty bottle into the sink. "Well, if you ever get bored or lonely you're always welcome here," he said causing Daniela to smile back at him. "We're all going over to Patsy's later for dinner if you wanted to join?"

"Oh, thanks but Jake's already made plans," she said before elaborating. "Dinner with his girlfriend." Lip just nodded as her eyes moved to the clock on the wall. "Speaking of, I better get back so I can get ready."

She pushed herself away from the counter before walking to the sink where Lip was. He shifted to the side to allow her to place her drink down. When she pulled back, she flashed him a warm smile.

"I'll text you."

"Yeah, sure," agreed Lip. "Have a good night."

"You too!" She called out on the way to the door; her hand raising in a wave.

/

"Jake's so glad to have you back home," said Katherine during dinner. Throwing a cheeky smirk at her boyfriend, she turned her attention back to his sister. "I mean, he was so proud of you going off to college but I've got to say, he's been missing you."

"Aw," teased Daniela, watching as Jakob let out a long sigh at being picked on. "I missed you too, big bro. This is really good by the way," she said, pointing with her fork at the food.

"Thank you," grinned Katherine, the comment pleasing her. "I thought it'd be nice to celebrate. I can't believe how fast this first year went."

"Yeah, it was pretty crazy."

"How's Ian?" Asked Jakob as he cut into his roast beef, referring to when Daniela had told him about Ian possibly being bi-polar.

"He was doing okay the last time I spoke to Mandy but sometimes I think he's doing _too_ well, you know? It's like I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop."

"Yeah," nodded Jakob in understanding before the table slipped into a comfortable silence as they continued to eat.

Throughout it, Daniela noticed the other two sharing small looks. Katherine finally resorted to nudging Jakob under the table and sent a prompting look in her direction causing Daniela to slow her eating.

"Right." Jakob cleared his throat and placed his cutlery down. Narrowing her eyes, she assessed the couple, trying to figure out what was going on.

"I'm starting to think we're not here just to celebrate me finishing my first year of college."

"No- I mean of course we are! But we have something else that we wanted to tell you," answered Jakob, glancing sideways at his girlfriend.

Instantly, Daniela's eyes clenched shut. "Dear God, please do not tell me she is pregnant." Katherine shook her head with a grin as Daniela hummed under her breath and surveyed the woman's hand. "Well, the lack of a ring kills my next theory."

"How about I just tell you?" Offered Jakob making her nod.

"Or you could do that, yeah."

"Katherine and I have been talking about things, and I'm thinking about moving in here with her," he revealed. At Daniela's lack of reaction, Jakob continued. "I mean, obviously, this Summer I'll still be staying at the house you know, so we can hang out and everything but uh, once you go back to school we're thinking of making things permanent here."

The couple shared a happy smile before turning back to Daniela who simply bobbed her head slowly.

"Wow, I never thought I'd see the day."

"So, you don't have a problem with that?" Asked Jakob.

"Why would I? Even when I was still living at home you were barely there," she laughed before putting down her fork. "Seriously Jake, it's fine. I'm happy for you. Although I'm not too sure about the future of your relationship now that she has to deal with you 24/7."

At another one of her barbs, Jakob rolled his eyes while his girlfriend simply laughed. Clapping her hands together, she fixed the two of them with a pleasant smile, obviously happy that things went well.

"In that case, let me go get dessert," she said as she rose from the table.

/

Later that night, after eating way too much food at Katherine's, Daniela had tried to get an early night but the heat was making it almost impossible. Bored, she resorted to lying on top of her stripped bed and staring up at the ceiling.

It was simply too hot to sleep.

Blowing out a long breath, Daniela twisted and slapped her hand down on the mattress in search of her phone. With it in hand, she then scrolled through her messages until coming across her chat log with Lip.

 _Hey, you still awake?_

She chewed on her lip and watched as the little chat bubble popped up straightaway that signaled he was typing a response.

Yeah, what's up?

 _Can't sleep. It's way too hot_

A minute later, her phone pinged with another message.

It's your lucky day then. Fiona just called an impromptu pool party

Smiling, Daniela typed out a hurried response and got up from the bed.

 _Haha, I'll be right over_

.

Ten minutes later, Daniela rocked up to the house with a towel over her shoulder and her swimwear underneath her clothes. Seeing Fiona standing by the pool, she headed over.

"Fi!" She called out as she drew nearer. At the sound of her name, the woman's head swiveled around so that her eyes came to rest on the other girl.

"Hey!" She grinned back, pulling her in for a tight hug. "You should've told me you were back, I would've invited you to dinner at Patsy's."

"That's okay, Lip already did but I had other plans."

"Right, well this is my boss Sean," she gestured to the stranger beside her. "And his son Will."

Daniela gave each of them a kind smile. "Hi."

"Sean, this is Daniela," continued Fiona, this time gesturing at the girl. "She's basically family."

"Right, it's nice meeting you," nodded the man.

"You too," said Daniela before looking at Fiona. "I'm just gonna go say hi to everyone else."

Slipping away, she headed over to the back steps where Veronica was sat looking incredibly morose. Beside her was Debbie who didn't look much better than the last time she had seen her.

"Hey." She gave each of them a warm smile as she took a seat on the step below them.

Veronica waved unenthusiastically. "Hey, D."

"Everything okay?" Frowned Daniela.

Blowing out a breath, Veronica shook her head. "Me and Kev are having a few problems."

"You're kidding," said the other girl, clearly surprised. Sure, she knew that they had had a few problems in the past- namely when Kev's ex-wife rolled into town- but this one seemed different.

"Nope," sighed Veronica.

"Well, I think we should leave the moping for tomorrow and have some fun." Daniela jutted her chin towards the pool where Fiona, Sean, and Will were splashing around. "You gonna get in?"

"I don't know. I'd rather just sit and watch."

"Oh, come on. It might help to take your mind off of things," reasoned Daniela, trying to persuade her. "At least for a couple of hours."

Thinking about it, Daniela watched as Veronica's shoulders slumped in resignation. "Alright, alright. Just let me go get changed."

With a grin, Daniela watched her stand from the steps and head back inside. Once she was gone, she focused her attention on Debbie and moved up to where Veronica once was.

Her eyes softened as she tucked a piece of red hair behind the girl's ear. "How're you feeling?"

"Shitty."

Daniela resisted the urge to smile. "What's happened?"

"Holly and Ellie won't talk to me anymore," answered Debbie, her bottom lip hanging. "And I have no idea why."

Daniela tutted and placed an arm around her shoulders. "I'm sorry, Debs. For some shitty reason, it's something we all go through but in a way, it's a blessing."

"How?" Frowned the younger girl.

"Because this way you know who the fake people that don't deserve an ounce of your time are," said Daniela causing Debbie's gaze to drop to her lap. "And even though I know this seems really major right now, you'll be glad that they're not your friends in the long-term. Just try not to worry about it too much, okay?"

Folding her mouth, Debbie gave her a small nod. "Okay."

"Good." Daniela pressed a kiss to the side of her head. "Now go have fun!" She urged, nudging her shoulder. Debbie managed a small grin before heading straight to the pool to join the others.

Daniela watched as she climbed the steps and was greeted by Fiona's arms pulling her into the water. Happy with herself, Daniela clicked her heels together as a splash battle ensued between Fiona and Sean.

"They're definitely on the road to fucking," whispered a voice in her ear.

Jolting slightly, she turned her neck to see Lip smirking as he sat down beside her. She ignored the pleasant shiver down her spine and instead focused on the couple in the pool.

"Fiona's new squeeze?" She prompted with a quirked brow.

Lip nodded with a chuckle. "It's getting there. You should've seen them at dinner."

She snorted a laugh, already imagining what sort of subtle flirting the two were doing. "How was it?"

"Good for the most part. Frank decided to show up for the free food."

"Of course he did," said Daniela, rolling her eyes. She hadn't seen the man around in a while but knew that he was still recovering from his liver transplant.

"Look who's a cheater!" Yelled Fiona as she continued sending waves of water in her boss' direction.

"Look who's a sore sport!" He replied back.

On the steps, Daniela and Lip shared a knowing look.

"Yup. They're definitely on their way," said Daniela as they observed them. "How long do you think it'll take them?"

"Who knows?" Shrugged Lip. "With Fiona's persistence, probably a month."

Daniela laughed lightly when another voice announced themselves.

"You guys have room for one more?"

"Ian!" Cheered everyone as he approached them all while both Lip and Daniela rose from the stairs quickly to greet him.

"You're here," grinned Daniela as he gave her a tight hug.

"Yeah, Fiona texted me."

"No Mickey?" Asked his sister from the pool causing Ian to flash them all a sly grin.

"Oh, I wore him out."

"Oh God," groaned Daniela as she rolled her eyes mockingly. Ian simply grinned back at her and proceeded to take his shirt off. She followed suit, leaving her in her swimming bikini and board shorts.

The rest of them piled into the pool causing numerous games to ensue until it was just Ian trying to drown Daniela after she splashed water up his nose. His arms circled around her waist and heaved her up causing her to shriek at the momentum.

Her legs flailed as he swung her back down into the water causing her head to go under. Shaking her head, she felt his arms grab her waist and bring her back up again. Daniela wiped the hair out of her eyes ready to blast Ian in the face again when she saw that it was Lip who had pulled her.

Her lips parted as he stared back at her; the corners of his mouth turned upwards. Once he was sure that she was steady on her feet again, his hands fell from her waist. Daniela was thankful for the cover of the dark because she was sure her cheeks were flaming red.

Opening her mouth to say something, she was quickly stopped by Ian's battle cry followed by a tsunami of water to the side of her face.

"Mother-" was all she got out before she leaped and jumped onto Ian, trying to shove his head under.

Peals of laughter rang out from the backyard as they kicked off the Summer the only way Gallaghers knew how to; by pissing all of their neighbors off.

* * *

.

I'm going to be really busy basically up until December so updates will be varied.

In other news, the new trailer for season 8 is out. Did you all watch it and if so, what did you think?

 _Special thanks to_ RHatch89, Hapsgurl80, angelicedg, 13teen, funwithstark, Volleyball Babe22, littlerosebudbroke, and Guest 1 &2 for leaving a review!

 **REVIEW!**


	46. I'm the Liver

**Chapter 46.**

This chapter turned out a lot longer than I thought it would be.

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shameless.

* * *

Daniela stood on the curb of Simon's house watching as he and his family packed up the car. To the left of her was Mandy and Ian, the latter of which had come to join her in seeing the couple and his family off.

"Are you worried about meeting the family?" Asked Daniela, her eyes remaining on Simon carrying a bag.

"A little," admitted Mandy, appearing uncharacteristically nervous. "I mean, it's taken this long for his mom to warm up to me. Who knows what the rest of them will think."

"All they're going to see is Simon's amazing girlfriend."

"Yeah," agreed Ian. "They don't know anything about you or your old life. It's the perfect scenario."

Mandy didn't seem so sure. "Yeah, until they start asking questions."

"Don't worry too much about it. Everything will be fine," assured Daniela with a small comforting smile.

At that moment, Simon made his way over, wearing an excited grin. He wasted no time slinging an arm around Mandy's waist and pressed a kiss to the side of her head. The girl smiled; her nerves ebbing away slightly.

"The car's loaded and ready to go when you are," he told her to which she nodded.

"I'm ready now."

Sighing, Daniela's arms fell to her sides as Simon stepped towards her. She smiled at him and welcomed his warm hug.

"Have a safe trip."

"We will. Don't miss me too much," he joked in her ear before pulling away.

"Unlikely," she replied with an eye roll. "I'll miss Mandy more. Do you know how boring work is gonna be now?"

Mandy grinned as the other girl pulled her in for a hug that felt entirely normal.

She had softened around the edges since dating Simon to the point where she was a lot happier in general. Both Ian and Daniela were just glad that she had found someone to take care of her properly.

"Keep an eye on him for me, okay?" Said Mandy, jutting her chin in the direction of Ian who was saying goodbye to Simon.

Daniela nodded back. "Of course. You two have a good time."

"Alright, kids!" Called out Simon's father. He waved to them from the driver's door. "Let's hit the road!"

With one last smile, the pair made their way to the car and hopped in. Ian and Daniela remained on the side of the street and waved at the car as it drove off. Once they had disappeared from sight, Ian slung an arm around her shoulders before they made their way home.

/

"Happy father's day," grinned Daniela a few days later.

Across from her behind a wall of glass, Lawrence smiled back. "Thank you, baby girl. How've you been?"

"Good. I'm off school for the Summer so I'll probably be able to visit you a bit more," she announced happily. Living on campus, and college life in general, had kept her busy, meaning that she was often only able to make phone calls to the prison. "Jake mentioned that you have a parole hearing coming up."

Lawrence nodded but kept his face neutral. "Yeah, but it's not until October. I've still got a while to go."

"But you've been on your best behavior. You don't get mad at the inmates or yell at the officers," reasoned Daniela, her voice growing more impassioned and hurried as she continued. "And I talked to my friend Mandy- you know, as in Milkovich. Her dad got caught shiving one of the other inmates so it doesn't look like he's getting out anytime soon so I doubt the Commissioner will be able to say no."

"It's happened before," responded Lawrence evenly causing his daughter to sigh.

"This is different. You've changed. That much is obvious to anyone who knew you before this," she stressed. "Just…don't give up, okay? You're all I have left."

At that, her father inhaled sharply. For a second Daniela regretted what she had said but seeing the reaction it caused, she was glad. Lawrence, understanding what she was insinuating, leaned back in his chair and stared through the glass at her sad expression.

"Okay," he relented with a determined nod. "For you and your brother."

Slowly, a small grin broke out onto Daniela's face. "Thank you. I love you, dad."

"I love you too, Dani. Now put your brother on," he requested with a chuckle. More than happy to, the girl rose from her seat and handed the phone over to Jakob.

/

They were walking out of the prison when her phone started ringing. Whipping it out, Daniela felt the worry build in her chest when she saw who it was.

"Mickey, what's wrong?" She asked instantly, fearing the worst. "Is it Ian?"

" _He's gone postal,_ " answered Mickey bluntly. " _You need to get your ass down here._ "

"Wha-? Okay, it's gonna take me a little while but just, keep him contained for now."

" _I'm fuckin' trying._ "

"Shit," cursed Daniela. Hanging up, she wiped a piece of hair behind her ear.

Jakob, picking up on her stress, frowned as he turned the ignition. "Everything alright?"

Daniela shook her head. "Could you drop me off at Mickey's house?"

"Sure thing. Something wrong with Ian?"

"Apparently," she sighed, blowing out a long breath.

"I'll try and beat the traffic."

Daniela nodded and leaned her back against the headrest. Closing her eyes, she prayed that it was nothing too difficult to handle.

/

"Through here," said Mickey as soon as he opened the door. Daniela wasted no time following behind him into the lounge where Ian was pacing around.

His fists were clenched so tight that even from where she stood, she could see his knuckles turning white. His flaming hair was tousled like he had been raking his hands through it nonsensically and the look of pure rage on his face was enough to alert Daniela that she should take things easy.

"Ian," she said calmly enough to gain his attention. His wild eyes snapped to hers causing her to pause for a brief second. "What happened?"

"Fucking assholes. I'm gonna burn their fucking church to the ground with all the fucking homophobic trash inside," he hissed whilst making gestures with his hands.

Wide-eyed, Daniela chanced a glance at Mickey who was simply biting his nail. "How long has he been like this?"

The Milkovich shrugged. "We went to this service for one of his army buddies when these religious freaks turned up with picket signs yelling about how fags should burn in hell."

"Jesus." Covering her eyes for a moment, Daniela heaved a sigh. "We need to calm him down before he actually hurts someone."

"No shit, what do you think I've been trying to do for the past hour?"

Daniela rolled her eyes and watched as Ian began rounding up Mickey's brothers to join him in his mission to take down the religious zealots. She watched in thinly-veiled horror as Ian went straight over to the cabinet she knew hosted all of the guns.

"We need fully automatic weapons, grenades," listed Ian before coming to a stop in front of Mickey. His face was deathly serious as he leaned in closer. "You got any armor piercing ammo?"

"Does it look like I have any fucking armor piercing ammo?" Quipped Mickey.

Shaking his head, Ian returned to the cabinet and began strapping weapons onto his body.

"What the fuck is wrong with him?" Asked Mickey.

Daniela quirked an eyebrow back at him. "You're really asking that question?" She watched Mickey shake his head and began chewing on her nails. "Should we call Fiona?"

"You really think she can help?"

"She's his sister. She's dealt with this before," reasoned Daniela, knowing that it would be the wisest thing to do. Still, Mickey seemed unconvinced - or simply just unwilling to let Ian out of his sight in fear that he might be shipped off to the psych ward.

"No. We take care of this ourselves." Turning his head, he called out to Ian. "Yo, Private Ryan! I got a plan. Normally I would get Mandy to do it but since she's fucked off to Denver with her boyfriend, it's gonna have to be you," he said, resting his attention onto Daniela.

She shifted uncomfortably. "What is it?"

"You need to go down to their church and loosen the Pastor up enough so that he'll leave with you."

"You want me to whore myself out?" Fumed Daniela, clearly not loving the plan.

Mickey waved his hands around to calm her down. "It's not like you're doing anything. All you have to do is dress like a good little Christian girl and get him back here. We'll take care of the rest."

Daniela tapped her foot; her hands placed on her hips as she weighed out her options. The thought of even pretending to be interested in a waste-of-space Pastor was disgusting in itself but on the other hand, it seemed marginally better than Ian's plan.

"And you think it'll help him?" She questioned in a hushed voice.

"Well, it's better than his idea to burn down a fucking church and commit mass murder," answered Mickey, effectively selling her on the idea.

"Alright," she nodded. "I have to go through Mandy's clothes. She should have something."

Leaving the couple behind, she made her way into Mandy's room to begin rifling through some of her more conservative looks. By the end of it, she managed to pull together a look that she thought would work. She had even managed to find a necklace with a small cross to help seal the deal.

"You think this'll work?" She asked, stepping back into the lounge where Mickey had managed to finally get Ian to sit down.

The Milkovich passed a quick look over her outfit before nodding. "Looks good enough." Reaching for something on the coffee table, he handed out a small baggie of crushed powder. "Here, take this."

"What is it?" She frowned, her mouth curling slightly as she gave it a small shake.

"Relax, it's Diazepam." At her raised brow, Mickey rolled his eyes. "Just get him a drink and tip this in there. When his mind starts getting all foggy, you bring him back here."

Daniela narrowed her eyes at the thought of how long the journey would be. "I have to lug him all the way back?"

"Fine," said Mickey with another eye roll. "Text me when you're ready and I'll send Iggy to pick you up. We good?"

"Yeah, we're good."

Slipping on her white headband, Daniela fixed her hair and stepped out of the house to go and seduce a Pastor.

/

Daniela was passing under one of the bridges when she noticed a familiar figure rinsing his head under a water tap. Slowing to a stop, she tilted her head to get a better look at him.

"Lip?"

Hearing his name, he switched the tap off and shook the soaked hair out of his eyes so that he could see her standing there watching him curiously. His eyes were instantly drawn to her new look.

"Oh, hey."

"You look wrecked," she observed though secretly she didn't mind the wet shirt and toned arms on display. "Did you just get off work?"

"Yeah," he nodded while wiping his forehead with the back of his hand. "Day one of just lugging huge chunks of debris around."

Daniela tutted and placed her hands on her hips. "That sucks."

Finding his eyes drawn to her, Lip silently looked her over from head to toe, taking in the new look appreciatively.

"Nice outfit," he commented after a long moment. His eyes returned to her face to see Daniela smile back.

"Thanks," she curtsied mockingly. "I borrowed it from Mandy. You think it says 'good Christian girl' enough to seduce a creepy old Pastor?"

"I think it'd work on anyone who isn't blind," answered Lip as he rubbed a hand over the back of his neck, unable to stop looking at her.

Daniela laughed, a small blush filling her cheeks. "Perfect."

"You have a thing for geriatrics now?"

"What can I say? The dentures and receding hairlines really get me going nowadays," she joked causing Lip to chuckle under his breath. "I'm just helping Ian out with something."

"Right. How's he doing?"

"He's good - for the most part. But Mickey and I are handling things," she assured. "As a matter of fact, I better get going."

Lip nodded and raked his hand through his wet hair. "Okay, well uh, if you ever need anything just let me know."

"Will do," she said, already walking away.

"Hey, Ella!" Called out Lip. He waited until she spun around, a brow raised in silent question. He grinned back. "You look really pretty."

A smile broke out onto Daniela's face as she shook her head at him. Turning around, she continued to grin down at her feet.

Behind her, Lip continued to watch her for a few more moments before turning in the other direction and heading home.

/

At last, Daniela came to stand outside the front door of where the church was congregating. She peeped through the glass window for a moment to help gather her courage before stepping inside.

Her eyes scoured the room in search of the guy Ian had described. It didn't take her long to pick him out and even the sight of him caused her skin to crawl once she thought about what she was about to do.

She knew how this was going to end. She just needed to find a way in. As her eyes traveled lower, she saw that he was holding a plastic cup of punch.

Bingo.

Taking one final second to make sure her outfit was barely passable, she casually made her way towards the Pastor who was leaning by the podium reading over some notes. Ducking her head, she pretended not to see the man before bumping into him.

"You've got to be kidding me!" He fumed, catching the attention of a few nearby people. The remnants of his punch were splashed all over his crisp shirt leaving his face almost as red as the stain forming.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" As she talked, she grabbed a bunch of nearby napkins and began wiping him down."

"You ought to be more careful," sniped the Pastor.

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Daniela dropped her hand closer to his belt to wipe at the two drops that had made it that far. She felt him stiffen under her touch as his angry little stammers began to die down while she apologized profusely.

"I'm so sorry, Pastor. Truly. It's just that I'm such a mess these days."

"It's okay my child," he responded calmly. "The shirt can be washed."

"Oh but I feel terrible." Daniela looked up at him through hooded eyelashes, making sure to lather on the charm. "Please, let me get you another drink. I won't be too long."

She made sure to let her hand linger on his chest for just a second too long before turning to get him another beverage.

At the refreshments table, Daniela got to work pouring the Pastor another cup. She glanced around then pulled out the baggie Mickey had given her. Quickly, she tipped the powder in before stirring it with her finger.

Putting on a sheepish smile, Daniela headed back over to the man who had now taken a seat.

"Here you go."

"Thank you," accepted the Pastor as she moved to sit beside him. She waited for him to take a drink but instead he held it to the side. "I don't remember your face. Are you a new member to our convent?"

"Oh yes," nodded Daniela feverishly.

"Interesting. And what made you think that this would be the best place for you?"

"Well, if I'm being honest, it all started with a ton of mistakes and poor choices made by myself and those around me."

Intrigued, the Pastor shifted in his chair to better face her. "Would you care to divulge?"

"The people that I keep around me are not the best," she admitted timidly. "The boy who I thought to be my best friend enjoys the company of other men while another is a known harlot." By the look on his face, Daniela knew that she had him.

"It's unnatural," said the Pastor, shaking his head.

"Well, I agree! That's why I'm here. To connect with like-minded individuals."

The Pastor smiled and placed a hand over hers. Daniela's eyes were steel as she looked down at it but instead of shoving him off, she simply gave him an encouraging smile and continued with her story.

"My mother wasted herself away on smoking and pills while my murderous father rots away in jail where he belongs." She shook her head, feigning overwhelming emotion. "It just hurts so much, Pastor. Why couldn't he be there for me? Why weren't we enough for him?"

A choked sob ripped out of her throat as she bowed her head; fake tears making their way down her cheeks.

"You are more than enough," said the Pastor, using her chin to lift her head back up. In what he most likely thought was a touching sentiment but ultimately was just disgusting, he tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. Once again, Daniela had to fight with all that she had not to visibly cringe.

She wiped at the tears. "Thank you, Pastor. One silver lining from all of this is that it brought me to you," she professed impishly. Wanting to hurry things along, she raised her cup in a toast.

"To new beginnings."

The Pastor wore a smile as he clinked her cup against his. "To new beginnings."

Daniela watched over the rim of her cup as he took a long swig of his punch. She wasn't sure how concentrated Mickey had made the powder but she just hoped that it would kick in fast. The sooner she could get him back to the house and drop this creepy act, the better.

The two continued their conversation with Daniela revealing more and more 'shameful' acts that she was guilty of committing all the while wondering when the drugs were going to take effect. At last, after what felt like forever, she noticed the man visibly relax as well as the cloud coming over his vision.

Grateful, she sent a quick text to Mickey before placing a hand on his chest.

"Pastor," she began innocently. "Do you think we could take this conversation somewhere more...private?"

The man's head was swaying but he managed to nod, seemingly eager. She ignored the disgust brewing in her chest and instead rose from the seat to help him up. His arm hung low around her waist as she carried him out and Daniela prayed that they didn't go wandering.

She was only outside for a few minutes before she saw a car park right next to them with Iggy in the front seat.

"Did they work?" He asked as she struggled to get him into the back.

"Like a charm," she answered, grunting as she got the Pastor to lay down on the tattered backseat.

Shivering in disgust, she climbed into the front seat.

"Alright, let's get him back to the house," smirked Iggy as he pulled away from the curb.

/

"Just up the steps," said Daniela as she heaved the old man through the door. Iggy didn't join her, instead choosing to take off as soon as she had pulled him out of the car.

The house was dark when she entered. She chanced a quick glance down the hallway to see Mickey, Ian and a few of his friends peeking through the crack of the door.

Returning her attention to the Pastor, she maneuvered him over to the sofa. "Have a seat, Pastor."

"No, no, no. We shouldn't do this," he slurred, shaking his head.

Daniela continued to play coy as she slid down beside him. "But surely the Lord put me in front of you for a reason. Why deny it?"

"It's still a sin of the flesh." The man wiped sluggishly at his forehead where beads of sweat had begun to build up. Daniela leaned forward, trying her best to appear interested.

"What if you closed your eyes," she began, pushing his shoulders back against the sofa. The man grunted beneath her touch and stared at her with wide eyes. "And relaxed. That way you can't be held accountable for what I've been wanting to do all night."

The Pastor looked as if he were about to go into cardiac arrest as she flashed him a sly grin. He didn't get time to stutter out, and by that point, Daniela wasn't sure he would be able to.

"Close your eyes, Pastor," she muttered while brushing her fingers over his eyelids to shut them. "You and God shouldn't have to see this."

Taking her advice, the old man tilted his head back and let out a relaxed sigh. Having a lot less fun, Daniela got to work undoing his belt. She balked as she slipped it open and looked skyward.

" _Dios me perdone._ "

Her lips curled and her head turned to the side at the sight of it laying there ready for her. Hurriedly, she gestured for Ian's friend to come over and take her place.

As soon as he was beside her on the ground, she shot off to a nearby armchair. Pulling out her phone, she half-cringed and half-smiled while watching him to go to work.

The Pastor was none the wiser to what was going on as he drew in sharp breaths.

"You have such soft hands," he moaned causing Daniela to have to bite her lip to stop herself from bursting into laughter. "Such soft lips."

Not long after, the rest of the group began trickling into the lounge where they all crowded around the scene with their phones and cameras at the ready. Ian grinned devilishly as he moved into a better position. They waited until the Pastor's muscles constricted in pleasure before the flashes went off.

At the sound of ensuing laughter, his eyes snapped open to see five faces staring back at him.

"That didn't take long," joked Mickey with a smirk.

"What is this?" Yelled the Pastor as his head whipped around to Ian who saddled up beside him behind the couch.

"That's a good one," said Ian while looking at his phone.

"What are you doing?"

"Oh, I'm tweeting, Facebook too." His fingers tapped the screen for another moment before leaning over to show the Pastor. "And done. So what are you gonna tell the press, Pastor? That you thought you were being blown by a teenage girl, or by God himself?"

Realizing the tough situation that he had managed to get himself into, the old man's eyes clenched shut. Across from him, Daniela rubbed her forearm, happy that she could finally drop the act.

/

After successfully blackmailing the Pastor, Daniela quickly took off. Her encounter had left her skin feeling dirty. A hot shower was needed as soon as possible to wash off the feel of his grimy hands all over her.

She had become unsettled by it all. It wasn't until she was halfway home that the disgust dawned on her. It was all so strange. Never before had she had to do something like that and never again would she.

It didn't take long for the first tear to fall, followed by an avalanche more. She wiped at them furiously, feeling her nose become blocked with mucus. She wanted nothing more than to go home, rip off her clothes before sending the rest of her night scrubbing herself clean.

The only silver lining that kept her from truly loathing herself was the reminder that she had managed to help Ian out and that, without the help of his family, her and Mickey had taken care of him. It might not have been the best option, but it had worked and that was enough for her.

The annoying hiccups and sniffles were still present as she walked by the Gallagher house. She paid no attention to it, instead choosing to continue on home. Unfortunately for her, a figure sitting on the steps caught onto the sounds and chased after her.

"Hey!"

Frowning, Daniela whirled around to see Lip making his way towards her. She cursed under her breath and spun her head back around so that he didn't see her crying.

"You okay?" He asked, now right behind her. Daniela wiped at her nose with the sleeve of Mandy's cardigan that was slung over her forearm. Lip saw this and instantly stepped around her, making sure to grab a hold of her shoulders so that she couldn't walk away.

"What's wrong?" He tried once more.

Daniela shrugged it off while keeping her eyes firmly on his chest. "Nothing."

She heard him sigh and the grip on her shoulders lessened as his hands slid down to the sides of her arms. "Come on, Ella. I can see that you're crying."

Sniffling, Daniela raised her eyes to meet his. "Let's just say that I have a newfound respect for Mandy."

"Does this have something to do with that guy?" She watched his face turn deadly serious. "Did he do something to you?"

Daniela shook her head, feeling more tears build. "No. It was just overwhelming, that's all." Lip's eyes roamed her face, his worry evident but Daniela just flashed him a small smile. "I'll be okay, Lip. Really."

He scrutinized her for a few more moments until he seemed somewhat satisfied. Dropping his hands from her arms, she noticed him flex one as well as the small hiss of pain.

"What's wrong with your hand?"

Much like her, he shrugged it off. "It's just the job."

She frowned before gently taking hold of his wrist to raise it. She twisted it to try and see better in the dimming light. At the sight of bloody cuts and bruising, she grimaced.

"Did you treat them?"

Lip shook his head, his eyes remaining on her.

"Hm, you need to get some antiseptic on that straight away. And some ointment," she added as an afterthought. "I think I have some at my place."

Keeping a hold of his wrist, Daniela lead him towards her house. Lip wore a small smile as she tugged him inside. She wasted no time tearing the braided white headband off and heading up the stairs.

She didn't relinquish her hold on him until they were in the bathroom and gestured for Lip to take a seat on the edge of the tub. He did as she said and watched as she dampened a clean towel to wash his hands. Once she was done, she reached for the bottle of antiseptic and pressed it against another section of the towel.

Before applying it, she paused briefly to give him a look of caution. "I won't lie. It's gonna hurt like a bitch."

Lip simply nodded for her to go ahead. She did so tentatively, dabbing the cut skin with the soaked towel. Every time Lip hissed under his breath, she would slow down even more.

She was cleaning a particularly deep wound when he let out a low groan and instinctively wrapped his free hand around her forearm causing Daniela to still.

"Sorry," she apologized with a wince.

Lip shook his head and tried to push down the pain. "It's fine. Keep going."

With a nod, Daniela continued, this time being extra careful. To keep his mind off of the pain, she decided to distract him with a bit of conversation.

"Are you really gonna work on the demo sites all Summer?" She asked causing Lip to shrug.

"I don't really have any other options."

They both knew it was true. There were hardly any opportunities for jobs on the South Side that were free from back-breaking labor or broke a couple of laws.

"So, are you gonna tell me what really happened tonight?" He began, watching her expression shift.

Glancing up from his hands, Daniela's eyes locked with his until she felt her resolve wither.

"It was nothing," she answered before tilting her head in contradiction. "Or, at least I thought it was at the time. Like I told you before, I was dressed like this to help Ian with something. Basically, I had to seduce this Pastor that had pissed him off. And throughout it all, it just felt wrong. I thought I would be okay with it but the way that he leered at me and the way that his hand would run down my arm whenever he tried to comfort me...it just made me feel dirty."

Pausing, she licked the corner of her mouth. "It wasn't until I was making my way home that it dawned on me that this is something Mandy does - or did - all the time. And I couldn't fathom how she got through it. I mean, I always knew she was a strong person - even when her and I weren't on good terms - but to go through that and somehow manage to shrug it off at the end of the day; I don't understand it."

Having finished, Daniela reverted back into silence. All the while, Lip continued to eye her thoughtfully. She saw this and instantly pushed the subject along.

"Anyways, we managed to help Ian out which is all that matters at the end of the day."

"It's not all that matters," responded Lip. He frowned at her before going on. "You shouldn't feel the need to do something you're not comfortable with just to help someone else."

Daniela pursed her lips and grabbed the untreated hand on her forearm. Lip didn't waste any time using the other one to grab her left forearm. "Well, it was either that or Ian burn down an entire church."

"What?" Lip's eyes narrowed. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because Mickey and I thought we could handle it ourselves," said Daniela, lifting her chin defiantly. "And we did."

Lip didn't look ready to let it go so easily but the sudden sound of his phone going off effectively ended the conversation. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled it out, giving Daniela an excuse to return to work on his hands. As she did so, she peeked at the screen to see Amanda's name flashing at the top.

"Is that Amanda?" She asked lightly.

"Yeah." Lip typed out a quick response before sliding the phone back into his pocket. "She's back home in Miami."

"I didn't know she was from Miami."

"Yeah," he laughed a little. "Her parents have been driving her crazy so she's trying to convince me to go visit her for the weekend."

Finished with the antiseptic, Daniela grabbed the ointment that would help to speed up the healing process. "Well, why don't you?"

"I don't know." He shrugged and looked up at her only to have their eyes lock. "I already have commitments here."

Her eyes narrowed slightly, still never wavering from his. She didn't allow herself to ponder too long on what those commitments were as she cleared her throat.

"Change hands," she ordered.

Instead of simply pulling it away like he had done before, Lip let his hand slide down her forearm so that it rested on her own. Daniela ignored the warmth in her belly as she actually had to pick it up and flip it over.

She could feel his eyes drilling into her but she simply continued, trying her hardest not to let it distract her. She knew that he was just playing around.

As soon as she was done, her hands retreated from his. Lip closed them into a loose fist as she stood up to wash her hands and dry them with a towel.

"Here," she said while offering out the ointment and antiseptic. "Take these. It looks like you'll need them more than I do."

He eyed them for a moment before accepting them. "Thanks."

"No worries."

Daniela wrapped the used towel up into a messy ball and held it against her chest. She leaned against the sink and wiped some hair out of her eyes. Without her headband, the loose strands kept falling around her face.

"You know you really did look pretty today," said Lip with another silent appraisal of her appearance.

Daniela simply scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, okay. I think the heat's getting to you."

Lip grinned back at her as the two found themselves once again silently staring at each other. Catching herself, Daniela pushed off of the sink.

"I should probably have a shower," she began. "After today, I just want to curl up in bed and have a very long sleep."

Lip nodded and stood up. "Right, and I should get back home."

Daniela's head bobbed before she walked him down to the front door.

"Thanks again," he said, stepping out onto the porch.

"It was nothing," waved off Daniela. "Thank you for letting me vent."

"No problem," grinned Lip, his face turning more serious. "I'm always here if you need to."

Daniela smiled back and nodded once more. Closing the door behind him, she blew out a long breath and headed back upstairs for a shower.

* * *

Things are happening guys!

It was so much fun writing Daniela into a Mandy situation, even though it made my skin crawl. Let me know what you thought.

Special thanks to littlerosebudbroke, 13teen, RHatch89, SweetRiceball20, Naruhina1519, and angelicedg for reviewing!

 **REVIEW!**


	47. The Two Lisas

**Chapter 47.**

Thanks for being patient. I'm glad you're all enjoying the slow build between Daniela and Lip.

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shameless.

* * *

Daniela never thought a time would come in her life where she would actually miss Mandy Milkovich. Of course, this mindset had shifted somewhat once they actually became friends but now that she had left for the remainder of the Summer, Daniela found herself bored during her shifts at the diner.

Making a mental note to give the couple a call to see how things were going, she weaved through the tables to where a group of people had just left. She got to work piling up the plates and scraping the leftovers off onto one before gathering all of the cutlery and lifting it into her sturdy grip.

As she began to head back into the kitchen, Daniela noticed a couple taking a seat at a table up ahead. She paid them no attention at first until she saw the guy turn his head slightly towards her and causing her to freeze. As a result of her shock, a knife clattered to the ground right beside the foot of the person.

With a quiet groan of annoyance, Daniela squatted down to grab the utensil when she saw a hand grab it for her instead. She lifted her eyes to see Chris staring back at her. She noticed the split-second of unfamiliarity before it clicked in his mind and his face shifted from one of relaxed kindness to one of someone who was now stuck in an awkward situation.

"Daniela," he said, just as surprised as her.

She cleared her throat and rose from her position.

"Chris. Hey."

Chris' eyes followed her movement as he adjusted his torso to face her better. "I forgot that you worked here."

Daniela understood that if he did, he wouldn't have picked this particular diner to eat at. Instead of showing this, she simply smiled back at him. Chris, remembering his companion, turned and gestured to her.

"Oh, Jen this is Daniela," he introduced though, from her point of view, she was sure he really didn't want to. "Daniela this is Jen. My girlfriend." The last word was spoken somewhat hesitantly.

Daniela's brow raised as it fell quiet between them for a moment. Both her and Chris could feel the awkward tension brewing around them. She brushed it off quickly and offered Jen a kind smile.

"Nice to meet you."

"It's our first time here," said Jen, flashing her pearly teeth. Either she hadn't picked up on the other two being weird or she simply didn't care. "What would you suggest?"

"Uh…" Daniela adjusted the plates in her hand. "Benny makes a mean waffle."

Her timid suggestion caused the couple to laugh but Chris' was a bit more forced.

"Good to know," grinned Jen. "We'll make sure to order some."

"Great! I, uh - I better take care of these but it was nice meeting you." Daniela's eyes traveled to her companion. "Chris," she nodded before quickly turning on her heel and walking towards the kitchen.

As she walked away, she released a long breath. Now she really wished Mandy was there with her.

.

For the rest of her shift, Daniela had to deal with watching the couple all over each other. At first, she hadn't even noticed her irritation until she slammed a few plates down beside the dishwasher causing bubbles and water to go everywhere. She had cursed and apologized profusely to the dish-washer while helping them clean up.

During a moment where service had slowed down, Daniela had peered out from the pass of the kitchen to survey the pair sitting beside the window and slowly she began to notice the little bubble of irritation develop inside of her. She didn't even know why it got to her or why she cared considering she had been the one who didn't want to over-complicate things.

But as she looked out at them, Daniela began to feel a tinge of sadness at the thought that she could've been in Jen's position if she had only been able to forget about Lip. He was one of the reasons she had kept Chris at a distance in the first place. She thought she had been doing both of them a favor by calling it quits but now she wasn't so sure.

While she and Lip had been rekindling their friendship, it sometimes felt like that was all it was going to be. Daniela knew that he was with Amanda and she also knew the vast benefits that came with dating her. She was well-off, smart, attractive and could be just as sly as him when she wanted to.

For Daniela, it made breaking up with Chris pointless in hindsight considering that she wasn't sure much was going to come of her relationship with Lip. It seemed like she couldn't escape couples. Lip had Amanda, Simon had Mandy, Ian had Mickey- hell, Jakob even had Katherine. And that left Daniela all alone. She didn't have a companion to talk to and share those special moments with. She had completely tossed away her last opportunity and now she was paying for it by having their happiness thrown back into her face.

Daniela was completely and utterly alone.

It was a sobering thought that lingered over her head like a dark cloud for the remainder of her shift and as she burst free of the diner an hour later, she tried to not let the emotion show.

"Daniela, wait up!" At the sound of someone calling out to her, she frowned and rotated to see jogging towards her. Even more confused, she stood and waited for him to reach her.

"What's up?" She asked before looking over his shoulder for Jen but she wasn't there.

"Uh, I just wanted to check up on you," answered Chris, his eyes turning serious. "You know, to see if you're okay."

Daniela narrowed her eyes in question whilst wondering if it had really been that obvious. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Chris rubbed a hand over the back of his neck and checked the diner window for his girlfriend.

"Look, I really did forget that you worked here. And Jen, she doesn't know anything about you."

"Yeah, obviously. I doubt she would've been so nice if she did."

"Right," he nodded in agreement. "But really, how are you doing?"

"I'm great," said Daniela, shrugging casually.

"Are you sure? Because I know how awkward that must've been for you-"

"Chris," she cut him off. "No offense but I really couldn't care less. From the looks of it, Jen is a really nice girl. I'm happy for you."

Chris' shoulders sagged in silent relief as a small grin worked its way onto his face. "Thanks. I guess I just didn't want you to think I brought her here on purpose."

"I didn't," shrugged Daniela, ignoring how it hadn't made it hurt less. "But thanks for thinking of me."

At the sound of the bell ringing above the door, Daniela glanced over his shoulder to see Jen emerge from the diner. She came to a stop beside Chris who wasted no time wrapping an arm around her. The sight of it up close caused Daniela's expression to dampen.

"You were so right, the waffles were amazing!" Gushed Jen, totally oblivious. "Babe, we have to come back here sometime."

Chris' eyes lingered on Daniela for a second, no doubt noticing her reaction before he smiled at his girlfriend. "Yeah, sure."

Eager to wrap up the conversation and ditch, Daniela smiled at the two of them and clapped her hands together. "Well, I better get going but I'm glad you liked it."

"Thanks again for the recommendation," smiled Jen as she rested her hand on Chris' chest.

"No worries." Daniela backed away slowly. "I'll see you around campus," she said to Chris who just nodded in response.

Turning, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and began walking towards the station.

/

Instead of heading straight home like she had originally intended to, Daniela made a last minute detour to Mickey's house. With Ian there, she knew she would have someone that she could unload all of her thoughts onto.

She entered without knocking; her presence was becoming shockingly more common now that Ian resided there. As she walked into the living room, her brow raised at the sight of the cleaned house. It was barely recognizable.

Hearing footsteps, Ian poked his head around the archway of the kitchen to see her standing there.

"Ella," he greeted warmly as he continued to scrub the stovetop. "You just get off work?"

"Yeah." Daniela's voice was monotone as she collapsed on the sofa like a sack of potatoes.

Noticing this, Ian fixed her with a look of scrutiny and went to the fridge to retrieve a beer. With it in hand, he walked over to the coffee table in front of her and passed it off.

"Penny for your thoughts," he encouraged, taking a seat.

Daniela shook her head and cracked the drink open before taking a long swig of it.

"Chris came into the diner today with his girlfriend."

Ian frowned in confusion. "Who?"

"Oh shit." Her eye shut at the reminder that he probably didn't remember him. "Okay, so you know when you stayed with me for a bit and there was that guy who came to drop off a sweater?" She paused long enough for Ian to nod. "Well, we sort of had this friends-with-benefits thing going until it all got complicated. And then before things got too deep, we - or _I_ \- ended things because I realized I was still in love with Lip, and then-"

"You're still in love with Lip?"

Daniela froze mid-sentence, her mind quickly catching her slip.

"Uh..." she stuttered whilst trying to backtrack. "I said I _was_. I _was_ in love with Lip. Past tense."

Ian simply gave her a look that indicated his clear disbelief. Choosing to ignore him as well as the sudden knot in her stomach, Daniela pushed on.

"Anyway! Seeing him again today there with his girlfriend all happy and everything…I don't know. I know that I don't get to be jealous - and I'm not. I think it's more that I'm upset, you know? Because I could've had that but I turned it down because I suck at letting things go and because I knew that, unless I magically got over my feelings for Lip, I would never be able to have a proper relationship."

Ian rubbed his hands together slowly as he listened to her. It was silent for a long moment before he spoke. "So where are you at now with Lip?"

Daniela wiped a tired hand across her face and shook her head. "Uh, we're friendly, I guess?" She let out a groan at the thought that this whole spiel was unwanted. "Ugh, who am I kidding? You probably don't even wanna hear this, I'm sorry. I uh, I'm just gonna go home."

She stood from the sofa and shuffled a little on her feet as she tried to collect her thoughts. She shook her head once again.

"Sorry. I'll message you later." Bending down, Daniela pressed a kiss to her friend's cheek before heading out the door. Ian barely had any time to register her hasty departure and was left sighing at the sound of her leaving.

/

For the remainder of the night, Daniela was determined to forget about her flub to Ian by staying inside and curling up in front of the television.

She flicked through the channels, waiting for the movie special to come on. In her lap sat a bowl of semi-burnt popcorn while a box of half-eaten milk duds rested against her thigh. She shoved a handful of the popcorn into her mouth and groaned quietly at the lack of entertainment being played.

As she went for another handful, a knock at the door caused her to pause. Daniela frowned. She wasn't expecting anyone.

With a low grunt of effort, she pushed herself off of the sofa and walked to open the door. When she did, her brow raised at the sight of Lip.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Hey," she responded, still confused.

"Is your brother here?"

Daniela shook her head and stepped out onto the porch. "No, he went out on a date with his girlfriend."

"Right," Lip nodded before glancing around. "Well, did you want to maybe hang out? I stole a jar of Frank's homemade beer if you're interested."

Holding it up, Lip showed her the mason jar filled with the brown liquid. Daniela raised a brow at it. She had no idea that Frank had concocted his own brew. She also had no idea what had caused Lip to come over.

Nevertheless, she caved. "Yeah, sure," she agreed after a long moment. "Not here though."

Lip shrugged his shoulders. "Alright."

Daniela quickly headed back inside to find some shoes. Before leaving, she sub-consciously paused in front of the mirror to check her appearance. Satisfied, she grabbed her keys and headed out to where Lip was stood waiting for her at the fence.

"Any idea where you wanna go?" He asked once they began walking.

Unsure, Daniela shrugged. "Wherever. I don't mind."

/

Eventually, they winded up at the park where they both sat on top of the jungle gym. The sun had already gone down by the time they got there but the street lights illuminated their surroundings enough.

Their legs hung over the side of the tower as Lip twisted the lid off of the mason jar. Offering it out, Daniela leaned forward to sniff it. Immediately, her nose crinkled.

"God, that's potent."

"You first," said Lip, keeping the jar in front of her.

"And you're sure this is safe for human consumption?" She questioned cautiously as he handed it over.

"Yeah, it should be fine," shrugged Lip, grinning slightly.

Daniela kept her eyes locked on his for a second before giving in and taking a drink. As soon as it hit her tongue, she balked.

"Jesus, this tastes like lighter fluid," she coughed before going back in for another gulp. She then passed it to Lip who took a small sip at first.

His teeth clenched at the strength of it.

"Holy shit," he laughed. "That's bad stuff."

"Yeah, but it's kind of bad to the point where you want more," commented Daniela, already reaching for it again.

For the next hour, the jar was traded between the two of them as they engaged in light-hearted conversation. It hadn't taken very long for the effects of the alcohol to kick in with the beer being extremely powerful. By the time they reached the halfway point, the tension in Daniela's shoulders had relaxed and her legs swayed with the cool breeze over the edge of the tower.

Leaning her head back, she stared up at the stars. She felt weightless in that moment as she marveled up at the sky. Beside her, Lip observed the childlike smile on her face and felt his own begin to sprout.

Daniela released a content sigh.

"God, I haven't felt this buzzed since after my mom died."

Lip frowned slightly. "Really?"

It was obvious that the alcohol had loosened her up to to the point that she had no problem speaking freely.

"Yeah, it got a little rough there for a bit so I had stopped or at least tried to limit myself," she explained causing Lip to eye her differently. He hadn't even suspected. Then again, she had done a good job of keeping him away. His eyes dropped at the reminder.

"So what did Ian tell you?" She asked after a brief silence.

Lip's spine straightened as he feigned innocence "What do you mean?"

Daniela rolled her eyes, her head swaying to the side to see him. "Oh, come on, Lip. I know that's why you're doing all of this."

At the sound of her words beginning to slur, Lip grinned despite himself. "How do you know I didn't want to just hang out with you?"

"True," she nodded, waving a finger. "But considering I had a mini-rant to Ian today I'm guessing that's the real reason."

Lip relented and shrugged his shoulders. "He was just worried about you. He said that something upset you today."

Daniela bit the inside of the cheek as she met his concerned stare.

"And he thought you could help?" At his silence, she snorted. "Right. Did he even tell you the reason?"

"He mentioned a few things," said Lip, tilting his head. "Mainly that your ex showed up at work with his new girlfriend."

Daniela was quiet as she chewed on the skin of her cheek. She could feel the nerves building in her stomach at the thought that Ian may have mentioned some other things too.

Wiping a strand of hair out of her eyes, she quirked an eyebrow. "Is that all?"

Lip's eyes stay glued to hers for a few seconds as they sat there in silence. Daniela feared the worst as he stared back at her, and as the silence stretched on, the nerves intensified.

"Yeah," nodded Lip finally. "That was it."

Daniela's eyes closed in relief as she leaned her head forward into her hands.

"What even happened between you and that Chris guy?" Frowned Lip, his eyes remaining on her.

She blew out a long breath and shook her head. "I wasn't even sure half of the time. At first, it was just sex. But then it started changing and getting all complicated, and it terrified me."

Lip's brow creased. "Why?"

"Because of you," she admitted bluntly before pausing and tilting her head in contradiction. "Not to put all of the blame on you though. Admittedly, it was a lot of me too." Her eyes rested on her hands as her face became more serious. "The worst part about it all is that I don't even get to be mad, you know? Because I was the one who ended things. I was the one who pushed him away."

Daniela felt her voice growing thick with emotion as she picked at the fabric of her shorts.

"I was the one who didn't want to accept the fact that there was a guy - a really, really great guy - who cared about me and actually wanted to get to know me better. But instead, I just turned him away. And now I'm all alon-"

Her voice caught on the last word as she felt the tears begin to fall.

"I'm all alone, and it's all my fault," said Daniela; her head falling into her hands while her shoulders shook.

Lip watched with sad eyes as she continued to cry. He didn't think the question would elicit that type of response. Daniela didn't either. He could hear her beginning to hiccup and sighed.

Daniela was wiping at her cheeks when she felt an arm wrap around her.

"You're not alone," he told her, his voice hardening. "You have your family, you have Ian, and you have me." Lip pulled her closer to his side so that she could rest her head against his shoulder. He pressed a kiss to it before softly claiming, "Even if you don't want me."

Instead of calming her like he had hoped it would, a fresh wave of tears began leaving Lip to just sit there and continue comforting her. Turning, he rested his chin on her head and held her tightly.

"I thought college would be my fresh start," said Daniela, once she got herself under a bit of control. Her voice was barely audible. "I thought that getting some separation from everything would be good for me, but instead I feel even more lost. But being back here - being back home, it's reminded me of everything I've been missing."

"Like this," she said, lifting an arm to gesture at their surroundings. "These moments where things seem so simple. Before everything became so fucked up."

"I know what you mean," agreed Lip, his voice equally soft.

Slowly, Daniela raised her head from his chest to meet his eyes. Her breathing stilled when Lip reached out to brush the remaining tears away. His thumb moved along her skin and came to a stop at the end of the cheekbone but instead of dropping it, he let it linger.

Daniela, feeling a sudden emergence of courage and seeing that Lip shared a similar thought, let her eyes fall to his mouth.

With slight hesitation, Daniela leaned in. He met her halfway as their lips brushed against each other tentatively.

She pulled back slightly, unsure if it was a spur of the moment thing or something that Lip also wanted. When she saw no objection, she didn't hesitate to kiss him again.

Happiness, excitement, and desire coursed through Daniela as the kiss built. Her hands wound around his neck and tangled themselves in his hair as Lip found one of his own pulling on her waist.

Lifting one leg, Daniela rotated so that she could fully face him. She could feel her heart racing under his touch as well as a fulfillment that maybe this is what she had been missing. Lip seemed to be thinking the same, judging by the way his hands were trying to pull her closer to deepen the kiss.

When the need for air became too strong, the pulled apart. Daniela, fully intent on continuing, leaned back in but stopped at the look on Lip's face.

"What is it?" She asked, feeling dread well up in her chest. "What's wrong?"

Lip's jaw clenched before he raised his eyes to meet her. "I'm going to Miami."

Daniela felt like she had been punched in the gut.

"Oh."

"Amanda's still been going on about me visiting her and I figured with work being so shitty, now would be the best time to go."

"It's fine. You don't need to explain yourself," she said, rotating back to her original position.

Her hands balled themselves up in her lap, giving her something to stare at. Around them, the wind picked up and traveled through her hair but she made no effort to fix it. Instead, she let it fall around her.

Lip heaved a sigh.

"Dani-"

"I think I should probably head home," she said, effectively cutting him off as her hardened eyes rose to meet his. "It's getting late."

Lip agreed despite himself. He stood up first and reached for the almost-empty mason jar as Daniela began to get up too. She staggered slightly causing him to help her.

"I'm fine," she brushed him off.

Lip's hand fell back to his side and his mouth pinched at seeing her close herself off again. The effects of the alcohol were still present, however, and meant that, as they climbed down from the tower of the jungle gym, Daniela had no option but to accept the help of his steadier hands.

The walk back was quiet and tense - at least on Daniela's part. She didn't look in his direction once, not even when he offered her the remaining beer. Instead, she kept her arms wrapped around herself.

Beside her, Lip was far more relaxed and as they walked, he continued to throw sideways glances at her just to monitor her emotions. He could see that she was embarrassed as well as guilty. He didn't want her to feel that way, but he didn't know how to help it.

He debated whether to say something - anything - to try and ease her worries but, as they came to a stop outside of his house, Daniela beat him to it.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, finally making eye contact. "I shouldn't have done that. It was the first time in a while that I've drunk so I guess things kind of slipped my mind for a second there."

Lip frowned lightly. "You don't need to apologize."

"You think we could maybe forget that it happened?" She hoped; her hands clenched together. "It's just that I don't want it to ruin this."

"Sure," agreed Lip, watching her intently. "No problem."

Relief flooded her face as she pursed her lips. "Well, thanks for tonight. It felt good just hanging out with you again - you know - before I messed it up."

"It was nothing," said Lip.

Daniela nodded, not sure which part he was talking about. "Right, well. Enjoy Miami."

Lip looked like he wanted to add something else but decided against it. "Thanks."

With one last nod, she turned and walked away. Her eyes closed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. What had started off as a promising night ended with her only feeling guilt, regret, and sadness.

* * *

Oops…thoughts?

Also, what do you think of season 8 so far?

 _Special thanks to_ 13teen, RHatch89, Naruhina1519, angelicedg, Maddprincess, littlerosebudbroke, RomanticBlondie for reviewing!

 **REVIEW!**


	48. Rite of Passage

**Chapter 48.**

I say some things at the end if you want to read. Also, sorry that this chapter jumps around a lot.

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shameless.

* * *

With Lip having left for Miami, Daniela was left to the boredom of her everyday routine. Work and no play swallowed up her life as she got started on earning some extra cash for herself. On her nights off, she would spend time with her brother who wanted to do some bonding with her before she went back to school. The summer seemed to be passing by in a blur and it wouldn't be long until she would be beginning her second year of college.

Thankfully for her, Mandy and Simon finally returned from their vacation in Denver. The morning after they got back, she went over to the Milkovich house to see her friends. It was clear from the get-go that things had gone well judging by Mandy's small smile.

As they got her up to date on everything that had happened, Daniela's eyes surveyed the living room as well as the abundance of suitcases taking up space. She had no idea where they were from and figured it was just another one of Mickey's schemes.

"So no problems with the family?" Asked Ian.

"Nope," beamed Simon proudly. "They loved her."

"Uh, no," denied Mandy, her eyes narrowing. "There was your cousin who wouldn't quit giving me the stink-eye."

"I wouldn't worry too much about her," he assured her. "That's just the way her face looks."

"Yeah, sure." Rolling her eyes, Mandy focused her attention on the others. "Anyway, what have you two been up to?"

Daniela shrugged from her armchair. "Nothing much. Just work."

At that, Ian snorted as he got up to retrieve something from the kitchen. He could feel her subsequent glare on his back and the couple were quick to jump on the tension.

"What?" Asked Simon with narrowed eyes. "What are we missing?"

"Oh hey, Lip got back from Miami the other day," announced Ian as if it was the day's forecast. Daniela's glare intensified.

Mandy's face scrunched up. "And we care because...?"

The redhead shrugged innocently; his eyes connecting with Daniela's. "Just in case you were wondering."

"I wasn't."

"Okay," interrupted Mandy, the gears in her brain turning. "What the hell happened while we were away? Are you and Lip close again?"

"No!" Denied Daniela vehemently. "Ian is just blowing things way out of proportion like he always does. Oh, and by the way," she shifted her attention to her best friend. "Don't think for a second that you're forgiven for opening your mouth when you shouldn't have."

"Like I said, I was worried about you," said Ian in defense of himself. "I thought Lip would have a better shot at getting through to you."

"Well, you were wrong."

"Are my ears defective or are you actually hanging out with that piece of shit again?" Scowled Mandy, clearly unhappy. "Because, if so, that is bullshit."

"Mandy."

"I'm just saying!" She defended, raising her hands. "He cheated on you with Karen. You're really willing to just forgive him?"

Daniela shook her head. "I know what he did and it's not like that."

"Really?" Mandy quirked a brow. "Because from the sounds of things, you're already halfway there." At the look on Daniela's face, the girl simply shrugged."Hey, I'm just saying what you're too scared to think about."

"Mandy's right," said Simon; his tone much softer than his girlfriend's."I mean, do you even know what you want from him? Have you even considered what it would mean to just let him back into your life again? You can't bullshit this. Either you want to really fix things or just leave things how they are. But don't go looking for anything if neither of you knows."

Daniela huffed, tired at the fact that she had to keep defending her choices. "Like I said, there's nothing going on. He has his life, I have mine. The fact that we're actually trying to move on and act civil with each other is something I thought you guys would admire me for."

"Yeah, but are you really willing to just let him back into your life like that?" Asked Simon. "Because if you do, that's it. No takebacks."

"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, well..." Mandy's voice trailed leaving the rest of them to fill in the blanks.

"I got it, okay?" Snapped Daniela. With a sigh, she sunk further into the armchair. "Look, can we talk about something else? Like why the hell you have so many suitcases." She waved a hand in the direction of the piles for emphasis.

"Yeah, what the fuck is up with that?" Frowned Mandy, her nose crinkling. "This place looks like the loading bay of an airport."

With the topic now having changed, Daniela could finally allow her shoulders to slump. The voices of her friends droned into the background as she just sat there in quiet contemplation.

/

The next day, Daniela was on her way to work when her phone began ringing. Pausing on the corner of the street, she pulled it out to see Lip's name staring up at her. Her chest tightened. She had gone over what Simon and Mandy had to say but couldn't yet manage to figure out what it was that she wanted.

Shoving it to the back of her mind, she decided to just act normal.

"Hey," she greeted, lifting the phone to her ear. Her feet continued down the streets to her work. "How was Miami?"

" _Uh, good. Yeah, really good._ "

"I was starting to think you'd forgotten all about us."

During the time that he had been away, the hadn't spoken or texted once. After her embarrassment at the park, Daniela hadn't wanted to be the first person to reach out and when no calls or texts came from Lip's end, she told herself that it was nothing worth getting upset about.

" _That's why I'm calling actually,_ " said Lip, grabbing her attention. " _I was thinking we could maybe talk when you're free?_ "

"Sure," agreed Daniela, worry creeping into her chest. "Is everything okay?"

" _Yeah, uh, everything's fine,_ " he assured her. " _Would this afternoon work?_ "

"Well, I'm heading to work now but my shift ends at 5. I could come over to yours at 6?"

" _Yeah, that sounds good._ "

"Alright. Are you sure everything's okay?" She asked once again. "I don't know you just sound a little off."

Lip's low hum of a laugh filtered into her ear. _"Everything's fine. I just thought we could catch up. I haven't seen you since I got back._ "

"Aw did you miss me?" She joked, the words slipping out of her mouth before she had the chance to think about them.

Instantly, she froze. Lip didn't say anything for a long beat causing the dread to set in.

" _I'll see you tonight,_ " was all he said.

"Uh okay, see you."

Flushed with embarrassment, she wasted no time in hanging up the phone. With her phone back in her pocket, Daniela raked a hand through her hair as she finally arrived at the diner. She shook it off and headed inside, not wanting it to affect her work.

/

It was nearing the end of her shift when Mickey came barrelling through door managing to effectively scare Daniela.

"Hey, you seen Ian?" He asked roughly.

"No," she shook her head. "What's up?"

"Dumbass never came back from work last night so now I have to go look for him." Mickey's fist was curled up tightly as he began pacing on the spot.

"Shit," her eyes fell shut for a second. "Uh, my shift ends in ten. You think you could hang back?"

With a short nod, Mickey glanced around the diner before telling her he'd be waiting outside.

The next ten minutes managed to drag by and as soon as she was done, Daniela was rushing to grab her stuff and leave. Just like he'd said, Mickey was waiting for her outside the diner.

Seeing her, he stomped out his cigarette before gesturing his head for her to walk with him. They carried on in silence for a few blocks with Daniela glancing at Mickey every once in a while.

"You okay?" She finally asked.

"Fucking peachy," answered Mickey sarcastically. She expected nothing less from him. "I've got enough on my ass as is, now I have to deal with this asshole going fucking MIA?"

"We'll find him, don't worry."

Mickey's brow raised. "I'm fuckin' worried."

Daniela's mouth twisted at the irritation on his face. The sounds of the city echoed around them as they continued on in silence.

"What's the deal with all of those suitcases at your house, anyway?" She inquired in an attempt to ease the tension.

Mickey rolled his eyes. "We lifted them from the lost baggage at the airport and Ian got a little carried away."

"A little?" She critiqued, having already seen the stockpile.

"So fucking what if there's a couple more bags? If the douchebags cared that much about their lost shit they should've kept a better eye on it."

"It's not the people I'm worried about," said Daniela, eyeing him seriously. "You didn't think it was odd at all that he wanted to fill up your house with random shit?"

"No," glared Mickey. "I told him to chill out but he doesn't wanna fucking listen to me. Now, this? He's a pain in my fucking ass."

"Mickey... if his behavior is becoming erratic again we have to do something about it. I mean it this time. We can't just let him go off like this."

"How's about we just focus on finding him first before you start crawling up my ass," said Mickey with a raised brow.

His pace picked up leaving Daniela to roll her eyes behind him.

It didn't take much longer for them to arrive at the club where Ian worked. The pair made their way in, feeling the electronic music pounding in their ears.

"I'm gonna go check the back!" Yelled Mickey over the noise. "You circle around and see if you can find him!"

Daniela nodded before splitting away from him. She made her way around the club surveying each dancer and waiter. Thankfully, the club wasn't full therefore giving her a better opportunity to take in each face. It didn't take her long to gather that Ian wasn't there.

Disappointed, she decided to head towards the back where Mickey was. It wasn't hard to slip past and she was about to round the corner when she heard a pained grunt.

Peeking around the corner, her eyes widened at seeing Mickey kicking an employee on the ground.

"-bouncing off the fucking walls," he mumbled to himself as he swung his foot into the guy's stomach again. "I came out for you, you piece of shit."

Daniela pulled her head back and leaned against the wall. Her brow furrowed in sadness at seeing Mickey venting his frustrations. While she had always known that he cared for Ian, she had never had a chance to properly experience it away from her friend.

It wasn't long after the grunting ended that Mickey came out into the hallway. He paused when he saw her, his mind realizing that there was a high chance she had heard everything. Daniela showed no signs of it as she pushed off the wall nonchalantly.

"He's not here," she told him with a shrug.

"Who gives a fuck?" Mickey breezed past her. "Let's go."

Frowning, Daniela followed behind him. "Where are we going?"

"To get a drink."

"Here?" She questioned, clearly surprised.

"Fuck no, not here," grimaced Mickey in disgust. "The Alibi. You comin' or not?"

Huffing, Daniela tagged along.

/

The second they stepped through the door of The Alibi, Mickey was calling out for alcohol.

"Whiskey. The fucking bottle," he ordered, taking a seat at the bar. In a flash, a bottle and a glass were procured and set out in front of him.

Daniela sat beside him and met the bartender's eyes. "Just water for me."

Mickey eyed her oddly. "Thought you wanted to drink?"

She turned her neck to see that he was already onto his second pour. "This is good enough."

He snorted at that, having expected nothing less of her. Daniela said a quiet thanks to the bartender when they returned with a glass of icy water. Taking a small sip, she glanced sideways to see Sammi saddling up beside a disinterested Mickey.

"-batshit crazy."

"Check," smirked Sammi, inching closer.

"Packin' nine inches," said Mickey, holding his hands apart for added emphasis. Sammi's brow raised before she eventually backed off and returned to the other end of the bar.

"Mickey, about Ian..." began Daniela tentatively as he downed the liquor in his glass. "I don't think you can ignore it anymore." Mickey showed no sign of having heard her and instead began filling his glass again. "I know you didn't want to accept it but all of this - his behavior - it's textbook stuff. He needs help," she urged. "Medical help. Stuff that we can't give him."

It seemed that her words were finally starting to sink in. Mickey didn't raise the glass to his lips but instead just held onto the bottle, staring down into the dark liquor.

"I know you care about him, and I know you just want to protect him but you can't do that if he keeps going like this."

"So what," he said after a long pause. "I'm just supposed to drag his ass to the nearest nut house?"

Daniela tilted her head. "Knowing Ian and how his mind is working right now, he won't go easily. But we need to do this. Before he puts himself in real danger."

Mickey's jaw rolled. She could see that the decision was eating at him but they both knew deep down that there was nothing more they could do for him. She heard no disagreement or fight from him as he instead poured some whiskey into another glass and pushed it over to her.

Daniela eyed him sadly before taking a long gulp of it. With a sigh, she shifted it back towards Mickey to top up and for the next few minutes, things were silent between them. Both were lost in their own thoughts about Ian - the person they cared so much about.

Daniela rolled the whiskey in her glass around; her eyes following the movement like she was in a trance. The sound of her phone going off brought her out of it.

"Shit," she cursed, seeing who it was before answering it quickly. "Lip, I am so sorry. I completely forgot. This thing came up with Mickey and I guess time just got away from me."

" _No worries. You think you'll still be able to come by tonight?"_

"Uh…" her eyes lifted to the clock on the wall. "I don't think I'm really up for it. This day feels like it's dragged on forever and I just really need to sleep it off. Sorry."

" _Ah, that's okay. Maybe tomorrow then?"_ Said Lip, sounding hopeful.

"I'm going to see my dad tomorrow."

" _How about after that?"_

Daniela laughed, caught off guard by his persistence. "Jeez, was Miami that bad?"

His low chuckle reverberated in her ear followed by a sigh. " _Sorry, I uh- it's just been a while._ "

"A week, Lip. It's been a week." Shaking her head, Daniela released a long breath. "Alright, you can come over tomorrow after I get back."

" _Great, sounds good._ "

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow then. Goodnight."

Hanging up, Daniela took a sip of her drink. She could feel Mickey watching her out of the corner of her eye and waited for him to say something.

"You and Gallagher, huh?"

She simply sighed and stood up from her stool.

"Me and no-one," she answered, seeing off the rest of her drink."I'm gonna head home, you'll be okay?" Mickey scoffed, offended causing Daniela to smile. "Right. I'll let you know if I hear from Ian."

Mickey nodded and continued sipping his whiskey. After dropping some cash on the bar to help cover the cost, Daniela made her way home.

/

The next day, Jakob's truck pulled up flush against the curb outside their house. Daniela, already in a hurry, wasted no time in undoing her seatbelt and heading for the front door. She paused, however, when she caught sight of Lip out front.

Also seeing her, he rose from his seat on the steps. Daniela slowed to a stop, confusion filling her brain before it was quickly replaced with realization.

"Oh shit," she mumbled to herself, wiping a hand over her face. "You're gonna hate me."

Behind her, Jakob came into view; his eyes narrowing slightly at the sight of Lip. He paused for a second to assess the situation before heading inside, leaving his sister to it.

Lip waited until he was gone before lifting his chin in question. "What's up?"

"My work called. One of the girls is stuck at home taking care of her little brother so they asked me to come in and cover for her."

Lip's head bobbed slowly. "Right."

"I am so sorry, Lip," expressed Daniela genuinely. "Really. If it were any other week I would totally be yours but this one has just been so busy. I promise I will make it up to you."

"Don't worry about it," he shook his head, waving her off but Daniela could see that was more than a little put-out.

Her lips pressed together sadly before she moved forward to wrap him up in a hug.

"It's good seeing you though," she said, her head resting against his shoulder.

Lip's arms wove around her, returning the hug and pulling her in closer. "Yeah, you too. How's your dad?" He asked once they were apart.

"Good," she beamed. "It's kind of full-on for him right now. We've been getting everything ready for his parole hearing in a couple of months."

"Oh right. You must be pretty excited then."

Daniela nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. "Yeah, my dad's just a little nervous because the last time he tried he was turned down so."

"Right, well I hope everything goes well for him," said Lip.

"Thank you." She shuffled her feet for a second before continuing. "Listen, my shift ends at 7. I can swing by your house after that if you want?"

"Yeah, that would be good," nodded Lip, his shoulders lifting slightly.

"Okay well, I better get ready for work then but I will see you tonight," promised Daniela as she walked away from him. "I mean it this time! I _will_ be there."

Lip laughed under his breath and nodded. Once they had both said their goodbyes, he made his way back home.

/

True to her word, Daniela made her way to Lip's after her shift. The temperature had dropped throughout the day to a comfortable chill by the time she arrived to find him waiting on the front porch with a cigarette in hand. His head raised when he caught sight of her and she smiled as she moved to sit down beside him.

"Okay," she sighed, settling in. "I am now one hundred percent yours." At her words, a look passed over Lip's features that was gone as quickly as it came. "What's up?"

Lip, now rid of his cigarette, rubbed his hands together to mentally psych himself up. Daniela waited patiently as she watched a myriad of changes flash across his face.

"I just wanted to apologize," he said, meeting her confused stare. "You know, for what I did to you."

Daniela's face fell straightaway. This was the last thing she had been expecting when he told her he wanted to meet up. Lip monitored her reaction and rubbed his hands again.

"And I'm sorry it took so long for me to do this. You didn't deserve that. You didn't deserve what I did to you."

"Why are you bringing this up?" Asked Daniela, her voice breaking slightly. "I mean, why now?"

Lip breathed a long sigh. "We never really got to talk about what happened. And I get why. You weren't ready, and I was too busy trying to convince myself that it wasn't that serious." He shook his head at the idea. "And recently you and I have been spending more and more time together and, I don't know, I guess it just felt like the right time to do this."

Daniela's hands fidgeted in her lap.

"You know, when Karen told me what you'd done, I was pissed. But not at you- at her. I thought that she was the reason why you had cheated and that she was the villain in all of this. But then I realized that it wasn't just her. It was you too. I think a part of me just didn't want to believe that you could do something like that without having been pressured into it." She gulped, avoiding his stare.

"And then I saw your face when I confronted you, and I knew that it hadn't been pressure; that you had done it completely on your own." She ducked her head to stare at her hands. "I think that's the part that hurt me the most."

Lip felt like cursing under his breath at the impact her words had on him. Pausing, he carefully constructed his thoughts.

"I know that no amount of words or actions can make up for what I did to you," he began as Daniela raised her eyes to meet his. "But I just need you to know that cheating on you was - without a doubt - the biggest mistake of my life. I know that. I knew that after I had done it. I knew it after I lost you."

Daniela's mouth pinched as Lip heaved a hefty sigh.

"And what you said about moving on; I get that. I can barely get past what I did," he told her, shaking his head as the crease in his brow deepened even more. "I hate that I hurt you so much. And seeing you break down that night at the park made things even worse because I knew I was the reason you felt that way."

"And I don't know how to help you or fix things but I figured this could be a start. A start to - I don't fucking know - repairing our relationship," he shrugged, dragging both hands over his face with a tiresome sigh.

Daniela pulled the inside of her cheek between her teeth as she thought over each and every sentence Lip had just poured out. Moments like this were rare when it came to Lip. He preferred to keep everything locked up tightly inside which, in some ways was beneficial but when it came to their relationship, it often made things challenging for Daniela to figure out where they stood.

His mind was one that was hard to read so to hear him so suddenly and freely express his thoughts to her were moments that she did not take for granted. To hear him actually express his regret created a new sensation within Daniela that could be compared to elation or relief. Elation that Lip _had_ cared about her after all and that what they had shared hadn't been nothing.

Similarly, she was relieved that he shared her belief that his actions had ruined the good thing that they had going. Despite this, Simon's words niggled in the back of her brain, reminding her that she really had to think about what she wanted from Lip and how much she was willing to let him back in.

"I trusted you," she finally said after a long silence and her eyes locked with Lip's. "I opened myself up to you, and you threw it right back in my face."

"I know," nodded Lip looking conflicted. "It's just that Karen had this- this _pull_ over me that I couldn't resist. It took losing you to realize she wasn't nearly worth the cost. I couldn't even go to MIT because I wasn't sure if I could do it without you. " The revelation surprised Daniela who watched him carefully. "And it just felt wrong, after everything you did for me," he added as an afterthought. "I didn't deserve any of it. But I think the worst part of it all was knowing that you hated me, and I couldn't blame you for it. I hated myself too."

Frowning, Daniela shook her head.

"I don't hate you, Lip. I never hated you. No matter how much I wanted to. I was just so… _disappointed_ that you had done that to me. But you can't keep using Karen as an excuse for your actions because at the end of the day you were the one to go to her. You were the one who decided to cheat, not her."

Lip's jaw clenched and unclenched in small spasms as a rare show of remorse flooded his face.

"I'm so fucking sorry," he uttered quietly as his eyes roamed over her face.

Daniela nodded, her mouth thinning to a sad line. "I know. And I appreciate you being so honest with me. I know it's not the easiest for you to do."

Reaching over, she placed a hand on his and felt his fingers curl around hers. She gave the entwined hands a reassuring squeeze before shifting closer. With her side now flush against Lip's, Daniela tilted her head to lean against his shoulder. A long breath escaped her as he maintained a tight grip on her hand.

Neither was sure how long they sat like that on the front porch but it was enough to cause a sizeable cramp in Daniela's neck. Despite this, she ignored the pain because, for the first time in a long time, neither felt like there was an underlying tension beneath their feet. For the first time in a long time, things felt hopeful.

* * *

.

So, I've read the concerns surrounding Daniela's situation. I accept all forms of feedback, good or bad and while I didn't think any were bad, there was one thing I wanted to address and please don't think of it as me attacking you because I'm really not.

Just know that it was never my intention or belief that I was writing Daniela as weak or desperate because she's not. She is a strong person in a difficult, confusing situation. I know it's frustrating. It's supposed to be. But please don't be disheartened or worry. I'm actually very appreciative of how much you care about her. Also, please keep in mind the fact that we're seeing things from Daniela's point of view with little clue about what Lip thinks which is why things may come off as one-sided.

There's a lot more I had written down but I'll just leave it there. So yeah, that's all I have to say. I'm sorry if it comes across harsh - it's not supposed to.

xx

 _Special thanks to_ 13teen, fashionphysician, angelicedg, RHatch89, x NikiSt x, Guest, funwithstark, littlerosebudbroke, Hapsgurl80, Isabeux3, and meagniscole!

 **REVIEW!**


	49. Crazy Love Pt1

**Chapter 49.**

Happy 2018! This was supposed to be out a lot sooner (like New Year's Day sooner) but I got caught up in the holidays but thanks for all the comments on the last chapter.

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shameless.

* * *

The new college year was fast approaching and with freshman orientation week coming around, many university students - both new and established - converged onto campus to begin settling into their dorms. While she still had another week before classes would start up, Daniela was one of the many that returned.

Her roommate, Megan had also made it back from her vacation and was more than happy to fill Daniela in on it all while they unpacked their things. She was currently dishing on the cute guy staying at the nearby lakehouse when the sound of her phone filled the room.

Tucking in her bed cover, Daniela crossed the room to check the caller ID. Seeing that it was Mickey, she answered it quickly.

"Hey, did you get around to asking him?"

It had taken another day and a half before Ian eventually turned up and when he had, Mickey had called Daniela right away to let her know. She had breathed a sigh of relief but could tell that there was some new tension between the couple. After reassuring her that he would bring up the idea of going to see a doctor, Mickey had left her in the dark for almost another two days and she had been anxiously awaiting his next update.

" _He's fucking gone_ ," said Mickey in a hurry.

Daniela's brow shot up. "What?"

" _He took off!_ "

"Where?" She demanded; eyes narrowing.

" _How the fuck should I know?"_ Griped Mickey, pacing on the other end of the phone. " _Just get over here._ "

He hung up before she could get another word in.

"Everything alright?" Asked Megan as she placed her clothes in her drawers.

Daniela sighed and shook her head. "I have no idea." Fussing, she grabbed her small messenger bag and pulled it over her head. "I gotta go," she said, already halfway out the door.

/

Daniela made it to his house in record time. After racing up the steps, she wasted no time knocking and instead walked right in only to be greeted by the sound of Mickey arguing with his furious wife.

She came to a stop right next to them and watched as Mickey tried, and failed, at getting Svetlana to calm down.

"Hey!" Yelled Daniela, effectively managing to grab both of their attentions.

Mickey's shoulders slumped in relief as he headed towards her.

"What did you say to him?" She asked, her brow furrowed seriously.

"Exactly what we fucking agreed on saying! That he was out of control and needed to go to the hospital."

"And then what?"

"And then he said he was going for a shower and took off," finished Mickey, his posture deflating.

"With baby!" Added Svetlana angrily.

"Yes, yes, with the fucking baby," replied Mickey, clearly tired of her. "My God."

Daniela shook her head in an attempt to clear her mind. "Okay, how long ago was this?"

"Last night."

Her eyes bulged."And you didn't call until now?" She criticised. It was getting on to be almost three in the afternoon.

Mickey shrugged defensively. "I thought he might change his mind, you know? Realize that he's gone batshit crazy and come back."

"It doesn't work that way, Mickey." Sighing, Daniela turned and moved to the sofa. She pinched the bridge of her nose as she sat there. "It's too late to track him down anywhere specific. If he left last night, he could be anywhere."

"Oh, that's great," nodded Mickey sarcastically. From her position, she observed as he paced the room. "I shouldn't have said anything to him."

"He's just scared and acting out. We'll find him," she tried to reassure him but it seemed to be doing little to help.

"Quickly, or I call police," threatened Svetlana causing her husband to arc up again.

"Enough with the fucking police," he warned, stepping right into her personal space. "I told you I'd get the baby back and I will. Until then, you don't say or do anything you'll regret."

Daniela watched the tense staredown being had between the two for what felt like forever. Eventually, Svetlana's glare pulled away as she spat a curse at him in Russian before walking out of the room.

Mickey watched her retreating back and shook his head. He heaved a sigh before dropping down into the sofa opposite Daniela.

"Where's Mandy?" She frowned after a minute of silence. Her eyes glanced around the house.

"Out with her boyfriend."

"Well, did you call her and tell her what happened?"

"Of course I fucking called her," answered Mickey; his face screwing up. "They're coming over now."

Daniela slumped into the sofa with a sigh. Reaching into her pocket, she found her phone and called Ian. Her teeth found the inside of her cheek as the line dialed before going through to voicemail.

Shortly after, Fiona and Lip burst through the door looking just as panicked.

"What the hell?" Demanded Fiona as they come to stand in the lounge.

Mickey and Daniela shared a look before proceeding to get the siblings up to date. They watched as the pairs' expressions shifted at the news that this wasn't the first time Ian had been acting out.

"Why didn't one of you say something earlier?" Questioned Fiona, glancing between the two.

Daniela pursed her lips, her eyes falling to her feet in shame while Mickey similarly said nothing, knowing that it would just cause more bickering.

"Well, we're not getting anywhere here," said Lip with resignation. His eyes fell on Daniela. "I mean, he could be in a whole other city by now."

"So what we're just supposed to sit here with our ass in our hands waiting for him to answer the fucking phone?" Fumed Mickey.

"Pretty much, yeah," answered Fiona with a laugh bereft of any humor. The others shared a look as the woman sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

/

A few hours, and many unanswered phone calls later, Daniela and Lip found themselves sitting in a pizza shop. She had proposed the idea on the way back to the house seeing as there was a chance there would be no food at home for the kids and he had decided to tag along to help.

"How're you settling back into college?" Asked Daniela conversationally; her head resting against the wall.

"Good, yeah," nodded Lip from the seat beside her. "I'm an RA this year so, you know, having my own room plus stipend is a pretty sweet deal."

Her mouth quirked upwards. "I'll bet. Amanda should be heading back soon then, huh?"

"Uh, yeah." Lip ran a thumb over his nose. "Yeah, I think she gets in tomorrow."

"You two have any plans when she does?"

Lip shook his head. "No, not really," he answered somewhat evasively causing Daniela to frown. "Hey, I'm gonna dip across the street to the store to get some smokes. You want anything?"

"Uh, no thanks," she replied, offering him a small smile.

Nodding, Lip got up and walked out leaving her by herself. She blew out a breath and slumped into her chair in exhaustion. To pass the time, her eyes skimmed over the signs above the counter as her foot began tapping impatiently.

As a last resort, she whipped out her phone to try and see if she could get through to Ian. Her eyes fell shut in disappointment when it went through to voicemail yet again.

Heaving a sigh, she left him a message.

"Hey, Ian. We're not mad at you, we're just worried - especially Mickey," she laughed slightly. "Please just come home or at least answer our calls so that we can come and get you wherever the hell you are."

Sliding her phone back into her jacket, she closed her eyes and rested her head back against the wall.

"This seat taken?"

Her eyes snapped open at the foreign voice to see a guy smiling down at her. She frowned, not sure what he had said.

"Sorry?"

"Do you mind?" He asked, gesturing to the empty seat beside her.

"Oh." Daniela shook her head and listened to him sit down. Her head returned to the wall where she allowed her mind to just go blank. She released a long and tired sigh that caught the attention of her neighbour.

"Long day?" He asked causing her to meet his eye once again.

Her brow raised. "You have no idea."

The man huffed a laugh and rubbed his hands together. "Yeah, I've been there." Offering her an easy grin, he jutted his chin towards the list of pizzas. "What's your poison?"

"Pepperoni is usually my go-to," answered Daniela.

He nodded slowly. "Ah, a fan of the classics."

"You can't really go wrong there."

"Agreed," he laughed, making a small smile appear on Daniela's face. "I'm more of a BBQ chicken man myself but I can respect the pepperoni." Not letting up on his grin, he held out a hand. "I'm Mike."

"Daniela," she replied, shaking it.

"So that guy that was in here before," began Mike after a brief silence. Daniela turned to quirk an eyebrow at him. "He wasn't your boyfriend or anything was he?"

Her brow furrowed in surprise. "Uh, no."

"Right," nodded Mike. "It's just that it would've made things a little awkward if I were to ask for your number."

Despite herself, Daniela let out a laugh. "And here I was thinking you just wanted to have a nice conversation about pizza."

Her neighbor chuckled and shook his head. "Sorry, was that too strong?"

She tilted her head as an indication, the smile never leaving her face. "Do you usually hit on girls in pizza shops?"

"No, this is a first actually."

"Oh," Daniela nodded, feigning intrigue. "And what exactly was your backup plan if I had have said yes?"

Mike's brow raised in thought before he released a breath.

"I have no idea," he revealed honestly causing them both to laugh.

At the sound of her number being called, Daniela's attention was pulled away to the register. She stood to get her order, not noticing Mike come up behind her to help out with the pizzas while she carried the drinks.

"Thank you," she said genuinely.

"It's no problem," shrugged Mike as he followed her outside.

Across the street, Lip emerged from the store with his packet of cigarettes in hand. Looking over to the pizza shop, he frowned at seeing Daniela smiling while she talked to some guy. He watched in confusion as the guy wrote something on the pizza box.

His jaw clenched before quickly jogging across the street to join them. When he did, Daniela was laughing at something the guy was telling her.

"Hey," said Lip, announcing his presence.

"Hey!" Daniela turned her smile to him. "What took you so long?"

"Yeah, sorry about that. There was a long line." His eyes shifted to rest on the stranger and narrowed slightly as if to size him up. "I'll take those." He nodded to the pizzas.

"Right," nodded Mike, handing them over.

Once he had them comfortably in hand, Lip stepped back so close that his shoulder was almost overlapping Daniela's. Behind him, she eyed him oddly for a second.

"We better get going before the pizza gets cold."

Lip's chin raised slightly, waiting to see what the other guy would do next. Mike glanced between the two before settling his attention on Daniela who was just frowning at Lip's sudden shift in behaviour.

"Right. Well, you've got my number," he gestured to the napkin in her hand. "Don't be afraid to use it."

Lip watched the interaction and rolled his eyes as Daniela gave him a bashful smile.

"Okay. It was nice meeting you."

"You too, Daniela."

Turning, she walked away leaving Lip to hang back for a second. His eyes connected with Mike's and a silent conversation was shared before he rushed to catch up with Daniela who was oblivious to whatever had just happened.

/

"Ian took Yevgeny last night?" Asked Debbie as the others got the kids up to date on what had happened. They had just finished their dinner and were now crowded around the counter.

Fiona nodded with a sigh. "Yeah, late."

"Did you try calling his phone?"

"Obviously," answered Daniela, her elbows resting on the kitchen counter. "He hasn't been picking up."

"Maybe he's in Colorado," said Carl causing them all to frown.

"Colorado?"

"They have free weed there."

"Not free you idiot." Debbie rolled her eyes. "Legalized."

"Shouldn't somebody call the police?" Asked Sammi causing them all to straighten.

"No!" They shouted just before they heard a knock at the door.

As Fiona went to check it, the others dispersed. Daniela began packing up the leftover pieces of pizza and throwing away the extra boxes. Lip hung back, wanting to get some answers on the mystery guy from earlier on.

"Hey, who was that guy at the pizza place?" He asked as she stacked and wrapped the leftovers in cellophane.

"Some guy named Mike," shrugged Daniela.

"Did you know him?"

She shook her head, frowning slightly. "No, he just came and introduced himself."

"Right." Lip leaned his elbows on the counter and jutted his chin. "What did he want?"

Daniela glanced over her shoulder to eye him weirdly. "What's with the never-ending questions?"

"Just curious. That's all."

She gave him a look that said she believed otherwise and shut the fridge. Crossing the kitchen, she leaned across the counter from him.

"We talked about pizza and then he tried to hit on me and gave me his number," she explained, not seeing what the big deal was. Lip's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Are you gonna call him?"

Daniela shrugged, not having thought about it. "I haven't decided yet."

Lip didn't seem entirely happy with her answer, causing her to frown. She wasn't given much time to think about it, however, due to the sound of raised voices in the lounge. The pair shared a look before heading out only to stop dead in their tracks at what they found.

Her brow raised in shock at the sight of Jimmy standing there.

"Holy shit."

"What the fuck is he doing here?" Asked Lip, already angry.

Jimmy, noticing the two of them, craned his neck around Fiona and waved. Instead of returning his warm greeting, Daniela just crossed her arms over her chest and stared him down.

Awkwardly, Jimmy's hand dropped as he pursed his lips.

"Okie-dokie."

"I thought you were married." accused Lip, shocking the rest of them.

"I am," argued Fiona causing everyone's eyes to widen.

"You got married?" Chorused the rest of the room.

"To who?" Frowned Daniela, curiously.

"To Gus," answered Lip managing to confuse her even more.

"Is that Gus?" Asked Sammi.

"No, that's Jimmy," said Debbie, her glare never leaving the man.

"Who's Jimmy?"

"Her old boyfriend."

"Who disappeared off the face of the earth for two years," added Daniela, clearly unimpressed. Jimmy tilted his head, upset that she was also ganging up on him.

Sammi waved her hands around to try and make sense of things. "Hold on, when did you get married?"

Fiona sighed, not wanting this to be how she told her family. "A few days ago."

"And you've been keeping it a secret? Why?"

"That is a brilliant question," said Jimmy with a shit-eating grin. "Why have you been keeping it a secret?"

Fiona, meanwhile, was staring at him like she was seriously contemplating knocking him out. "Out. Now." Her finger pointed to the door. Jimmy wasted no time doing as she said and headed outside with Fiona trailing behind.

As soon as the door was closed, the rest of them rushed to the window.

Daniela stood at the corner of the window and watched as Fiona kept shoving Jimmy towards the gate. At the feeling of hands falling onto her hips, she jumped and glanced behind her to see Lip trying to crane his neck around for a better view. She wasn't sure if he noticed what he was doing or simply didn't want to.

Telling herself to ignore it, she refocused on what was going on outside. Although they couldn't hear anything, they could tell from the pair's body language that things were calming down.

Fiona spun around to avoid looking at Jimmy who took this opportunity to slide up behind her.

"Don't do it," muttered Lip. Around him, the others shared his same thoughts.

They waited with baited breath as Jimmy's arms snaked themselves around Fiona's waist, pulling her deeper into him. His lips could be seen moving until, finally, Fiona turned around to kiss him.

They all groaned in disappointment before quickly dispersing from the window. Heading upstairs, Daniela knocked on the door frame of Debbie's room. The girl's eyes raised to meet hers.

"You got your outfit all picked out?" She asked, amused. It had become a tradition between them now.

Debbie smiled, her head nodding. "Yeah, Sammi said I should cover up so I don't get assaulted by anyone."

Snorting, the older girl moved to sit beside her. Daniela tucked a strand a hair behind Debbie's ear, silently in awe at how old she was now.

"How're you doing, Debs? I feel like we haven't talked in a while."

"I'm okay," assured Debbie, showing signs of her new maturity.

"Yeah?"

The girl nodded once again.

"You nervous at all?"

"Not really," she shrugged, nonchalant. "It's just another day."

Daniela smiled and bobbed her head. "Okay, well you get some rest."

Leaning forward, she pressed a kiss to Debbie's forehead before heading down the hallway. She came to a stop outside Lip's room and peered in to see him hanging out with Liam. Smiling, she leaned against the doorframe just watching him.

"Is Fiona in there with Jimmy?" She asked, jutting her head in the direction of her room and gaining his attention.

Lip nodded, not pleased as Daniela's phone vibrated in her hand. Opening the message from Jakob, she huffed in annoyance.

"Everything alright?" Frowned Lip, picking up on it.

"I left my house key in my dorm and Jake's at his girlfriend's," she replied tiredly.

"Right. Well, you can always stay here." Daniela quirked a brow at his offer. "I can sleep with Liam and you can have my bed."

Hesitant, she fidgeted with her phone. "You sure? I was just gonna go back to my dorm."

"Yeah," nodded Lip getting off the bed and picking up Liam. "It's already late and we've all had a long day."

Daniela thought about it for a little before finally nodding. "Yeah, okay. Thanks."

"No worries." Rising from the bed, Lip scooped up Liam into his arms. "Let's go brush your teeth bud."

Daniela moved so that they could get past before walking towards the bed. She sat on the edge and began to take off her shoes. She then began preparing the bed to make it more comfortable. She pulled back the covers half-way and fluffed up the pillows before standing back and just looking at it.

Daniela chewed on her lip as she contemplated a random thought. At that moment, Lip came back in still holding Liam. She turned when she heard him.

"Sorry, I just needed to grab his toy," said Lip, gesturing to the soft animal.

"Oh." Getting it, Daniela handed it over to him.

"Thanks. Goodnight."

"Hey, Lip?" She called just as he went to leave.

Lip paused and swiveled on foot to look at her.

"Yeah?"

"You don't have to go," she said, hesitantly. "I mean, I feel kind of bad for kicking you out of your own bed."

Not sure if she was being entirely serious, Lip continued to watch her with a slight frown.

"Liam can join us, you know," offered Daniela. "If you don't want it to be weird. If I'm being honest I just don't want to be alone right now."

After a brief silence, Lip nodded and glanced at his brother. "Yeah, okay."

Daniela nodded too, her heart racing, as he brought Liam over to sit down beside her.

"Can you watch him for a sec? I'm just gonna use the bathroom real quick."

Once he was gone, she fixed her smile on Liam.

"You ready for bed?" She asked excitedly causing the little boy to shake his head. "You're not? Oh no. We'll then I'm just gonna have to make you."

Quickly, she scooped him up into her arms making him squeal in surprise. Laughing, Daniela blew raspberries on his cheeks. "Bedtime mister."

"No! No! No!" Said Liam, despite not putting up a fight as she laid him down in the middle of the bed.

Daniela just grinned and climbed over so that she could recline beside him. She shook his toy which quickly began to occupy his mind and relax him. Pinching his cheek softly, she pulled the covers up and over their torsos.

When she noticed Liam beginning to tire, she began running her hands through his hair soothingly and watched his eyes slowly begin to drift shut.

/

An hour or so had passed with Daniela unable to fall asleep despite her mental exhaustion. Instead, she just laid there staring up at the ceiling.

Carefully, so as to not disturb Liam, she peered across the bed at Lip.

"Hey," she called quietly. "You still awake?"

Lip let out a soft groan that was followed up by his foggy reply. "I am now."

Daniela grimaced. "Sorry."

"S'okay." Turning, he perched up on his side to face her. The moonlight falling through the window above her made it easier for him to see the outline of her face as well as her saddened expression. "You thinking about Ian?"

Daniela nodded and mirrored his movements so that she was also on her side. "I just don't want him to do anything that'll end up with him or Yevgeny getting hurt."

"He isn't in control," said Lip. "Right now his brain will be in the pilot's seat choosing for him. It'll make him think or do things that he believes are right when really they're just all kinds of fucked up." His voice trailed to the point where it seemed like he was talking to the air in general than to her. Daniela regarded the resigned expression on his face with sadness as he met her eye again. "We just have to wait it out like a bad storm."

"I hate that," she muttered after a brief silence.

"What?"

"The fact that you know so much about all of this."

At her answer, Lip's mouth pursed in thought before he shrugged. "It's not all bad."

Daniela blew out a breath. "I don't know anything about what's going on with him. I guess that's why I was so quick to help Mickey whenever Ian would start acting out. Of course, I knew we couldn't keep it up for long but…"

"You were trying to protect him," finished Lip in an effort to validate her actions.

Her jaw clenched. "Yeah," she whispered to herself before falling silent.

She bathed in her guilt of not having better hindsight. There had been so many occasions where she could've spoken up and pushed for Ian to get help. Instead, she had chosen to be silent leading to even more of a downward spiral with much higher risks.

"Hey," whispered Lip to gain her attention. Sensing her guilt, he reached across to tuck some hair behind her ear, making sure to leave it there as he stared into her eyes. "He'll turn up eventually. Just try and get some sleep."

Daniela nodded; her own hand coming to cover his. Slowly, she felt his shift so that his fingers were curled around hers. She held on tight as he brought it down to where they laid beside a sleeping Liam.

She settled into her pillow with a sigh and closed her eyes; a calm peace falling over her. Across from her, Lip watched and waited for her breath to steady before going back to sleep as their hands remained intertwined.

* * *

That last bit might be a teeny bit inspired by Black Mirror. Also, a lot to disect in this chapter.

 _Special thanks to_ xenocanaan, angelicedg, SweetRiceball20, RHatch89, RomanticBlondie, Naruhina1519, 13teen, AsToldByNi, Isabeaux3, Guest, and mchurch1992 for reviewing!

 **REVIEW!**


	50. Crazy Love Pt2

**Chapter 50.**

Here's part 2, enjoy!

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shameless.

* * *

Daniela didn't make it back to her dorm until later the next morning. Her roommate was already awake and on her laptop when she walked in.

"Hey stranger," she greeted, glancing up from the screen to assess Daniela.

"Morning," replied Daniela, dropping her bag to the floor.

"I got a little worried given how quickly you ran off yesterday."

Daniela took a seat on the edge of her bed and winced. "Yeah, sorry about that it was just some family emergency."

"Oh," Megan's brow raised. "Did you manage to sort it out?"

"Getting there. It's a little difficult at the moment." With a loud exhale, Daniela laid down on her bed, welcoming the soft mattress. She dragged a hand over her face. "God, I barely got any sleep last night."

"Yeah, me neither. I've been trying to catch up on my Summer reading list." Megan glanced across the room to where her roommate was on the verge of passing out. "What are your plans for the day?"

"Uh, sleep preferably," droned Daniela before sighing. "But I have to shower and do some shopping later."

"I can wake you up in a couple hours if you want," offered Megan kindly causing Daniela to smile, already feeling herself begin to drift.

"That would be great, thanks."

/

A few hours passed with Daniela managing to freshen up with a nice hot shower before heading out to the store. The nap she had taken beforehand had left her feeling more rejuvenated now that her hours were back on track.

She was perusing the different bottles of shampoo and conditioner when her phone started buzzing. Absently, she checked to see that it was Lip calling and answered immediately.

"What happened, did you find him?" She asked, wasting no time.

" _Yeah, he was arrested this afternoon in Terre Haute_ ," answered Lip causing her eyes to widen.

"Well, is he okay? What about the baby?" Fussed Daniela as she began pacing back and forth in the aisle.

" _The baby's fine, he's safe, but we gotta go pick them up soon._ "

"You said Terre Haute. That's hours away from here. How the hell are we supposed to get there without a car?"

Lip's sigh echoed in her ear. " _We'll figure something out._ "

"Okay, well listen, I'm only a couple blocks away from where you are. Just tell me where to go and I'll meet you there."

" _Alright, I'll text you after I call Mickey._ "

Hanging up, Daniela wasted no time and grabbed whatever looked good before rushing to the register.

/

Lip had sent her a follow-up message that he would wait for her in the main campus square beside the freshman orientation booths. It didn't take her long to pick him out amongst the small huddled groups.

He was stood beside a blue canopy talking to Amanda who was holding two stacked cardboard boxes. Daniela wasted no time heading over.

She was only a few feet away when Lip noticed her approaching. Daniela offered him a small smile, feeling confused when it was met with a look of slight trepidation.

"Hey," she greeted, coming to stand beside the pair. "Thanks for waiting."

"Uh, no problem," nodded Lip as Daniela turned her attention to Amanda.

"Amanda," she began warmly, locking eyes with the other girl. "Did you just get back from Miami?"

Amanda's smile was tight as she nodded stiffly. "Yeah, I'm just unpacking."

"Oh, are you staying with Lip?"

"No," she shook her head, her smile slipping into a grimace.

"She has her own place," explained Lip, sounding like he was in a hurry.

Daniela's brow raised, sensing some tension. "Oh."

The ensuing silence was more than awkward as they continued to stand there until Amanda finally broke the ice.

"I better go," she told them, raising her boxes slightly. The other two pounced on it and nodded, eager to be rid of the strange conversation.

"Yeah, well, I'll see you around," said Lip.

Amanda eyed him for a long moment before simply walking away without a response. The exchange was almost comical to Daniela who quirked a brow at Lip once his girlfriend was far enough away.

"Trouble in paradise?"

Lip just shook his head and changed the subject. "Did you find a car we could use?"

"Well, I thought we could ask Amanda to borrow hers but I'm guessing that wouldn't be the best thing to do right now?"

"Yeah," he agreed, scratching his neck.

Daniela nodded, her mouth pursed. "Luckily for us, I messaged Simon on the way over here and he said we could take his mom's mini-van again."

"Alright," agreed Lip. "Let's go get it and then we'll pick up the others."

/

"Just go easy on it okay?" Pleaded Simon as he handed over the keys. "My mom still hasn't forgiven me for the last time we took it without asking."

Lip grinned at the reminder, his eyes flicking to Daniela who rested a reassuring hand on her friend's shoulder.

"Her car will be fine, I promise. Thank you," she said, pulling him in for a hug.

"No problem," Simon stepped back as his face grew more serious. "Keep me updated on how he is."

"I will," Daniela promised. "Tell Mandy I'll see her tomorrow."

Simon nodded as the pair got into the front seats of the van. He waved a hand at them as they pulled away from the curb and took off around the corner.

/

By the time the van pulled up outside of Mickey's house, he was already waiting for them along with Debbie and Carl who had also been told the news. At the sight of the van, their eyes brightened.

"About fucking time," said Mickey once he pulled open the door. The pair in the front chose to ignore it, knowing that he was just glad to finally be leaving.

"Woah, who'd you steal this off of?" Grinned Carl, stepping inside.

"We didn't steal it, we're borrowing it," answered his brother, watching in the mirror as the young ones headed straight for the back seats.

Carl pulled a face. "Where's the fun in that?"

"Just put your seatbelt on," said Daniela, giving him a deadpanned look.

Mickey slid into the seat beside Debbie and shut the door. Settling in, he met Lip's eyes in the mirror.

"The fuck are we waiting for?" He asked, impatiently. "Let's go!"

"Alright," sighed Lip before starting up the van.

/

They had been driving for almost three hours when Lip tried getting in contact with Fiona. It had slipped all of their minds until Debbie had brought it up.

"Shit," cursed Lip, hanging up his phone.

"Still not picking up?" Questioned Daniela to which he nodded.

"It just keeps going through to voicemail."

"I can try texting her again," offered Debbie behind them. She met her brother's eyes in the mirror.

"Yeah, it wouldn't hurt."

Nodding, the girl pulled out her phone and began typing, the brightness of her screen lighting up her face in the darkened car.

"I'm sorry," said Mickey causing everyone to glance at him. Daniela frowned as she observed the guilt on his face through the mirror. "I should've listened to you. To both of you."

"Yeah, you should've," agreed Lip coldly.

Mickey's eyes flicked around apprehensively. "I didn't know things could get this bad."

Lip didn't let up; his knuckles turning white as he gripped the steering wheel tightly. "They can get worse. Much worse."

Beside him, Daniela gave him a sideways look of slight irritation. She knew he was worried about Ian- they all were, but she didn't appreciate the way he was taking it out on a guilt-ridden Mickey. A part of her also felt that he was scolding her at the same time despite his prior reassurance.

Swallowing, she leaned over in her chair to properly face Mickey who was staring down at his hands.

"We both could've handled things better," she began gently. Mickey's eyes met hers as she ignored Lip watching her in the mirror. "But what's important is that we learn from our mistakes and that we just be there for Ian when he needs us."

Emotion flashed across Mickey's features as he allowed her words to sink. Sucking his teeth, he nodded stiffly and bowed his head. Daniela offered him a small reassuring smile before returning to her seat.

Her head rested against the back of it as she drew in a deep breath. Her fake courage withered away leaving her just as sullen as Mickey was feeling. Truthfully, she was in the same boat as him. Their decisions had been fueled by what they had genuinely considered to be helpful and, despite her insistence that Ian should've sought help sooner, she was just as scared as Mickey about what that would mean in the long term.

However, seeing the situation they were in, Daniela wondered what could've happened if they had just made the phone call to Lip or Fiona - if they had have just handled things differently.

Daniela's mouth twisted, a sour taste on her tongue as she leaned her head against her propped-up elbow. She felt herself tune out as she focused on the humming of the engine. She could feel Lip's attention on her for a few seconds throughout the rest of the drive but chose to ignore it.

It didn't take much longer for them to pull into the police station parking lot. Staring out the window, Daniela figured that it was already past midnight.

The group piled out of the vehicle and headed to the door only for Lip to stop when he saw that they were missing one person. The others hung back as he went to talk to Carl who was eyeing a barking police dog in the adjacent car warily.

"Yo, aren't you coming?" Daniela heard Lip ask. She crossed her arms over her chest and glanced between Mickey and Debbie who was currently chewing on her lower lip.

A few minutes later, Lip headed their way without Carl. Not wanting to wait any longer, Mickey took off inside.

"Hey, excuse me," said Lip as they came up to the front desk. "I got a call about my brother being in here; Ian Gallagher?"

"Yeah, that was me. I'm the arresting officer." The man glanced at the sea of faces. "Does your brother have a history of mental illness?"

Lip nodded without hesitation. "Yes."

The officer's mouth pinched, having had expected it. "He was acting irrationally. Left a baby locked inside of a hot car and then he ran away when we tried to question him."

Daniela's eyes fell shut as she breathed a sigh. "Is the baby okay?"

"Yeah, he's sleeping in the back."

"And Ian?"

"When we took Mr. Gallagher to the ER they gave him a sedative which seemed to calm him down but he's clearly a troubled kid."

"Is he under arrest?" Asked Lip to which the officer merely tilted his head.

"He'll have to face some charges but we're not going to hold him. Also, his car's been sent to impound. You won't be able to get that processed for a couple of days and you'll have to pay the tow charges."

Mickey nodded, rushing the conversation along. "But we can take him home tonight?"

"Yes," answered the officer as his face turned serious. "But you need to get him some help."

"Yeah, we're working on that."

"Can we see him?" Questioned Debbie, speaking up for the first time. Her chin was raised slightly in an attempt to appear strong.

The officer nodded. "Follow me."

/

The man had led them to a room that they could wait in while the officer went to retrieve Ian from his cell. Daniela heaved a sigh and rested her head against the wall. Against her shoulder was the weight of Debbie as she leaned against her side. She could feel her steady breaths indicating that she had dozed off.

Daniela didn't blame her. She had had a long day.

Her fingers ran through the girl's red locks absently as she turned her head to see Mickey. He was stood to the side of them chewing on the skin around his nails impatiently. They had been waiting for ages.

Beside her sat Lip who had his hands clasped together tightly. She surveyed him carefully, a thought coming to mind.

"Hey, is everything okay between you and Amanda?" She asked, a genuine frown on her face. "I know it's not really my place but-"

"No, it's okay," he assured her, glad to have something else to talk about. Daniela waited and watched as he took his time piecing together a response. "Actually, we uh-"

The sound of the cell door opening grabbed all of their attention as they saw Ian finally being escorted out. Daniela was instantly on her feet.

"Hey," said Lip softly, coming up first to wrap his arms around his brother. "You okay?"

Daniela remained behind him, her eyes widening slightly at the state of her best friend. She had never seen him so disheveled and lost. Ian bowed his head into Lip's neck, savoring the familiarity.

Debbie was up next followed by Mickey who took his time holding Ian. Throughout it all, Daniela couldn't bring herself to do the same. She couldn't even move.

Ian's eyes raised slightly to peer over his boyfriend's shoulder. When their eyes met, she had to hide her sharp inhale at what she found. She spent what must've felt like forever trying to assess him in that single look but all she could see was sheer blankness. It was haunting.

Overwhelmed, she took a step back and turned her attention away to the officer approaching with Yevgeny in his arms.

"Yours?" He asked Mickey who simply nodded, showing some actual emotion for his son.

While father and son were reunited, Daniela followed the others silently as they made their way out of the building. She maintained a small distance between her and them and watched Ian's slow, sluggish feet all the way to the van.

Carl slid open the door when he saw them, his eyes lingering on a sedated Ian before moving aside. Debbie and Lip helped him into the middle of the car and stepped back so that Mickey could get in with him. He passed off Yevgeny to Debbie who took a seat in the very back with Carl, allowing the couple the whole row in case Ian wanted to lie down.

Daniela peered through the mirror into the back. Ian had his head resting on Mickey's shoulder, his eyes already falling shut. When it became too much, she tore her eyes away and focused on looking out her window.

Half an hour passed until they were back on the freeway. The car was silent as Lip drove them all home. He rubbed his tired eyes in an attempt to keep himself awake.

Hearing a small sniffle, he glanced beside him to see Daniela trying to discreetly wipe her eyes. He had observed her reaction back at the station and knew that the reality of it all was finally starting to get to her.

Daniela had her head leaned against the window as she tried to control her breathing. She didn't want to alert anyone to what she was feeling and bit down hard on the inside of her cheek to stop any more noises from coming out.

Lip checked the mirror quickly to see that everybody in the back was asleep.

"Hey," he said gently. He took his eyes off the road for a second and waited for her to lift her head up and to look at him.

At the sight of her red eyes and wet cheeks, Lip reached across the dashboard to grip her hand. Daniela's face pinched with fresh tears as he rubbed his thumb across the knuckles- their usual way of calming each other down. Daniela eyed him gratefully and clung to the hand resting on her thigh, finding it a warm reassurance in this dump of a situation.

Lip continued to glance over at her every now and again throughout the drive, never letting up on his grip until he felt hers go limp and her breathing steady as she eventually drifted off.

/

Daylight was beginning to break by the time they arrived back in Chicago. While she had been sleeping, Lip had finally managed to get a hold of Fiona to tell her to meet them at the hospital. Daniela had done the same and called Mandy to let her know where they would be.

Mickey kept close to Ian while Lip handled the talking at the receptionist's desk. A clipboard and pen were supplied to Ian for him to fill out in order for them to allow him entry to the facility. As he did so, Daniela took a seat beside Debbie.

"Ian!"

Mandy's distinctive voice carried down the hallway causing the others to turn and see her approaching alongside Simon. She wasted no time hurrying to her best friend to hug him tightly.

"Hi," muttered Ian into her neck.

Stepping back, she looked over him worriedly as Simon did the same.

"It's good to have you back, man," he said, looking genuinely relieved. "You really scared us."

When they saw that Ian was unlikely to carry a conversation, the couple made their way over to Daniela who had been watching the interaction sadly. Simon squeezed her shoulder as he took the seat beside her.

"How you holding up?"

Daniela pursed her lips and just shrugged.

Not long after that, they heard more footsteps heading their way and watched as an emotional Fiona rushed towards her brother.

"Jesus, Ian." Much like Mandy had done, she took him into her arms quickly. It took a moment before Ian wrapped one arm around her in return. "You okay? Yeah?"

Daniela could feel her eyes welling up at the sight of it and bowed her head. She couldn't bear to look at her best friend for more than 10 seconds, finding that she would break down if she allowed herself any longer.

"Ian?" The boy in question looked at Lip who gestured to the paperwork. "They just need your signature."

Nodding, he scribbled it down just as a nurse popped her head out.

"Mr. Gallagher?"

They all looked up at the sound and Daniela took a deep breath, realizing that this was it. Not wanting to have any further regrets, she rose from her seat.

Slowly, Ian turned away from the desk and made his way over to Debbie who was holding Yevgeny. He crouched down in front of them to stroke the baby's cheek softly, a small smile sliding onto his face.

Straightening, Ian found Daniela standing in front of him. She was biting down hard on her cheek and her hands were gripping the opposite forearm tightly as she tried to muster as much strength and composure as possible. Ian's face pinched as they stood staring at each other for a long moment. Finally, something inside of Daniela's chest snapped before she pulled his body into hers.

She felt him nestle himself into her neck followed by a deep inhale as she held onto him.

"Are you mad at me?" He asked her, the words barely a breath in her ear and causing Daniela's resolve to weaken.

"No," she choked, pulling him tighter. Her hand rested on the back of his head, combing his hair reassuringly. "No, I'm not mad at you. I love you, Ian."

"I'm sorry," said Ian as Daniela retracted herself. She pressed a lingering kiss to his cheek and stepped aside so that Mickey could say his goodbyes.

"Can I go in with him?" Asked Mickey as they came to stand in front of the gate.

The nurse shook her head apologetically. "I'm sorry, patients only."

Daniela's chin dropped to her chest, unable to watch him be escorted in. The only reassuring thought was that this was what was best for him, and that was enough for her.

Lip stood silently watching her reaction. Glancing at her hand, he contemplated reaching for it again but decided against it. Now wasn't the time.

Once Ian was out of sight, the group slowly made their way outside.

"We're gonna drop Mickey and the kids off on the way home," said Mandy as she held onto Simon's arm.

Daniela nodded and held out the car keys. "Thanks again for letting us borrow the van."

"No worries," shrugged Simon, taking them from her. "You sure you'll be alright getting back to your dorms?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine," answered Daniela, a small but sad smile on her face.

Nodding, Simon gave her a quick hug before getting into the van with Mandy. Daniela waited until they were out of the parking before looking behind her where Lip was talking with Fiona.

Their eyes met across the distance as she made her way over.

"I'll meet you here tomorrow," said Lip, finishing up his conversation with his sister.

The woman nodded, her eyes turning to Daniela who was waiting patiently. They had decided to take the train back in together.

"I'll see you then." Hugging Lip quickly, Fiona did the same with Daniela before heading back to her husband's house.

Lip released a sigh and turned to face Daniela.

"You ready?"

She simply nodded in return as they made their way to the nearby station. The walk was silent but neither took it to heart, already too occupied by their own thoughts.

Daniela still hadn't said anything by the time they took their seats on the train and it was beginning to eat at Lip. She hadn't said much at all ever since the police station.

Lip eyed her tentatively. "You okay?"

Daniela twisted her neck to the side, meeting his eye. She shook her head, a watery sheen beginning to develop on her own.

"No."

Lip's jaw tensed, empathizing with her.

Daniela quirked a brow. "Are you?"

She watched him shrug. "I will be. And so will Ian," he assured her. "Eventually."

Daniela didn't bother responding, choosing instead to just take his word for it. Exhausted, she leaned her head on his shoulder, feeling his arm snake around her side in response. She breathed a sigh and allowed her eyes to fall shut.

* * *

I've been really loving your feedback on these last couple of chapters so thank you for that.

 _Special thanks to_ angelicedg, xenocanaan, SweetRiceball20, RHatch89, Guest, Volleyball Babe22, Naruhina1519, thatbitchnextdoor, and HPuni101 for reviewing!

 **REVIEW!**


	51. Important Notice!

Sorry! Not an update (I'll get to that soon) but what I wanted to let you know is that I've made a **Tumblr** blog just to talk to all of you better and have some discussions about Shameless, this story, and any other things I might be working on.

My asks will be open for any of you if you want to chat or ask me questions about anything - doesn't have to be story related, I just want to get to know all of you better. This will also make it easier for me to keep you in the loop with updates and any roadblocks that may occur. Also, whether I'm having any writer's blocks. This way we can keep in touch.

The Tumblr blog is **traughtnotdistraught** if anyone is interested. I hope that you are. Please be.

As the seasons progress, I'm going to be sharing a lot more on that because, if I'm being honest, I've mapped out this entire story up until its end, and yes, it has a definitive end. In fact, if you follow the blog, you'll learn when the end is.

I'm currently working on a blog post about my thoughts on Season 8 and then another one on what I hope for Season 9.

So, yeah! Come, follow, and have a chat!

Now, onto the stuff about the update.

This last half of the season is being a serious pain in my ass to plan. When I was doing my rough drafts, I underestimated it all but now it's all getting to me. Have no fear, I'm slowly working my way through it and, while it's not exactly what I was hoping for, it's the best I can pull together. I really can't thank you all enough for how patient you've been with me and how eager you are for the next update. It really goes a long way for me and pushes me to work things out faster.

Finally, I would just like to say **THANK YOU** for 400 reviews! You're all amazing and I love each and every one of you. You're really the engine that keeps this train going so thank you.

That's all I have for you right now (once again sorry if this got your hopes up), but in the meantime, you can follow the Tumblr blog and talk a bit about Shameless or any other shows/movies you're into. I'm here for it all.

Tumblr: traughtnotdistraught

xx

also, this little message will (might) be deleted in a week or so.


	52. Uncle Carl

**Chapter 51.**

Thanks to those of you who are following the Tumblr page and, if you are, make sure to turn on notifications so my posts don't get lost in everything else. Otherwise, enjoy the new chapter!

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shameless.

* * *

Ian had been hospitalized for 72 hours.

During those 72 hours, Daniela's birthday had come and gone with very little fanfare and, while she had never really enjoyed the day, this year was made even more unpleasant due to what the following days would represent. It was the week she had been dreading the whole year. Now it had arrived and Daniela had no idea how to feel.

Desperate to keep her mind off of it, she had jumped into the prep for her second year of college whilst routinely checking up on Ian as he spent his consented 72 hours in the hospital.

The day that he would be released had finally come around and Daniela made sure to be there for it. She had gotten there early and met up with Fiona who had gone straight inside while she waited around for Mickey and Lip.

Her head turned back and forth to scope out the people walking along the side of the street. It wasn't long before she saw Lip emerge from the crowd.

Smiling, she pushed off of the wall and smiled once he caught up to her.

"Hey," he greeted. "I wasn't sure if you were still coming."

Daniela frowned. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Well..." Lip trailed off causing Daniela to look away. She knew exactly why.

"It's not until tomorrow, so," she answered, attempting to sound as unbothered as possible.

Lip nodded and watched her intently. "How you feeling?"

"So far, pretty decent," she shrugged. Clearing her throat, she pointed a thumb over her shoulder. "Fiona's already inside."

Lip noted her evasion and simply nodded. "Right, and Mickey?"

"Not yet. Fiona told me he was a little freaked out when they came to see him the other day. She's not too confident in him showing up."

"Right. Well, should we head in?"

"Sure," she nodded and followed closely behind.

Lip held the door open for her to go first and then the pair made their way through the hospital to reception. Fiona was still sitting where Daniela had left her.

As he came to sit beside her, Lip squeezed his sister's shoulder to announce his presence. Her head whipped to the side before relaxing once she saw him.

"Hey," she greeted him. "Can you believe we're back here? Makes me wanna puke."

"Yeah." Lip scratched his nose. "You, uh, you still married?"

Fiona's brow raised as she raised a hand up to survey the ring on it.

"I'm not sure. Gus is silent. And you know how good I am with silence." Lip nodded, knowing exactly what she meant. "You figure out your tuition?"

Adjacent to them, Daniela frowned. "What happened with your tuition?"

"Oh, I uh, I didn't file in my papers on time so now I actually have to pay," explained Lip, rubbing the back of his neck. "I got an idea, though."

"Is it an idea that could land you in jail?" Asked Fiona carefully.

Lip simply shrugged, choosing not to elaborate. Filling in the blanks, the two females shared a look just as a doctor approached with a clipboard in hand.

"Are you here for Ian Gallagher?" She asked, causing all three to look at her.

"Yeah, that's us," answered Fiona, rising to her feet alongside the others.

"Follow me."

As they did, Daniela hung back and debated on waiting for Mickey. However, remembering what Fiona had told her earlier, she had little faith that he would show.

/

"Bipolar one, acute mania with psychotic features. This means-"

"No, we know what it means," interrupted Lip.

"Can we take him home?" Asked Fiona, already standing up and ready to go.

Beside her, Daniela remained in her seat as her brain continued to process and catch up with what the doctor was telling them.

"I understand that there's a family history and that this diagnosis is difficult to hear but I do need to go over a few specifics in regards to Ian."

With a sigh, Fiona played along and sat back down.

"He's resisting his diagnosis," said the doctor as she folded her hands together. "We had to make med-compliance a requirement for his release."

"Alright, so what? You're saying we need to hold him down and force him to take his meds?" Asked Lip.

"I'm saying that it will take his meds about two weeks to kick in and really start working. Until then, yes, I am suggesting he be carefully supervised." Reaching into her drawer, the woman retrieved three pill bottles and placed them down on the desk. "I'm giving you a week's worth of antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, and sedatives."

Daniela's eyes widened slightly at the sight of how just how many pills there were - and that was only for a week.

"Ian should be here shortly," said the woman once she had gone over how the pills should be taken. Closing her folder, she stood up and offered them a kind smile. "Good luck."

Once the door was closed behind her, Daniela leaned back in her chair and heaved a deep breath.

"Jesus."

Beside her, Lip and Fiona nodded. "Yup."

A few moments passed where they all sat there letting it all sink in. At the sound of the door opening, they all rose from their chairs to see Ian being escorted in. They each took their turn hugging him, with Daniela going last.

"Mickey?" He asked as they pulled apart, his voice hollow.

Daniela stared back at him sadly and shook her head. Ian's eyes dropped from hers and to his wrist where a hospital tag was.

It didn't take long for the discharge papers to be signed and for the group to head out onto the sidewalk. Fiona linked her arm with Ian's and brushed a few strands of hair out of his eyes as he looked around at the street. Eager to get him home, the two lead the way.

"We're gonna head back to the house," said Lip, snatching Daniela's attention away from Ian's back. "You coming with?"

"Uh, I was actually gonna go see Mickey. But I might swing by later just to check up on him."

Lip nodded. "Alright."

Nodding too, Daniela stuffed her hands into her jacket and began to head in the opposite direction.

"Hey, Daniela!" Pausing, she looked over her shoulder to see Lip rubbing the back of his neck. "Listen, I uh, I know that tomorrow won't be the easiest for you but, uh, if you need to talk, I'll be here."

Having not expected that, Daniela mustered up a small smile and nodded.

"Thanks, Lip."

/

Daniela didn't bother knocking and instead walked right into the Milkovich house. Her narrowed eyes searched the lounge for Mickey before continuing down the hall to where his bedroom was.

"What the hell is this?" She demanded as she stopped in the gap of his door.

Mickey's head remained forward; her presence not shocking her like she had hoped it would. He sat propped up against the bedframe, surrounded by a dozen empty beer cans.

"What's it look like?" He grunted, taking a chug of his beer. It was silent before he let out a belch that left Daniela grimacing in disgust as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"It looks like you're being a pussy."

Mickey scoffed and went to take another drink when he found it snatched out of his hand. He released a sigh before finally meeting her stare.

"Where were you today?" She asked, clearly angry. "We waited. Ian was asking for you."

Mickey tore his eyes away from her. "Couldn't do it," he shook his head and rose from the bed. "It was a fucking freak show in there."

Daniela released a long breath and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I know."

"Look, I can't help him," said Mickey, walking towards his dresser. "I don't know about any of this shit and just seeing him like that I can't-"

"And you think I can?" Challenged Daniela. "Mickey, I could barely look at him today. I have no fucking idea how to handle this." She heaved a heavy sigh. "All I know is that Ian is my best friend and I love him. So, instead of making excuses for yourself, man the fuck up and go see him because he needs you and you need him."

Mickey turned to look at her. He remained silent as she came down from her small rant. Steadying herself, Daniela raked a hand over her face.

"You want a beer?" Offered Mickey after a long and awkward silence.

"Yes, please," nodded Daniela gratefully before following behind him into the main lounge while Mickey headed to the fridge.

He quickly returned with two cans and offered one out to Daniela. She accepted it quickly, wasting no time cracking it open and taking a swig. She wiped her mouth off and collapsed onto the nearest seat as Mickey sat across from her.

His can rolled between his palms for a long moment.

"How was he?" He finally asked, keeping his voice low. Nevertheless, Daniela could hear how worried he really was.

"Awful," she answered, not bothering to mince her words. "Like a fucking zombie. I hadn't seen him that bummed out since the day I met him."

It had been just after Monica had left and the woman's hasty departure had hit Ian pretty hard. Daniela remembered it taking ages to get him to even crack a smile.

"Look, I get it," she continued. "I do. I don't want to see him go through this any more than you do. But we have to. We have to make sure he gets better, and I know it'll take time and there'll be moments where we feel like we can't handle it but it'll happen." Her serious eyes rested on Mickey's hesitant figure. "You should go see him."

"I don't know what to say to him," admitted Mickey quietly.

Daniela lifted a shoulder. "Tell him you're sorry. He'll just be glad to have you there."

Nodding, Mickey stared down into his beer can. Across from him, Daniela placed hers down on the table and stood up.

"I better go but just, remember what I said. It'll be okay, Mickey."

"Yeah."

Daniela's mouth pinched as she moved to squeeze his shoulder reassuringly before leaving. She just hoped he would take her advice and go see Ian. The two of them would never get through this without the other.

/

Daniela didn't have the energy to go and see Ian after that and instead chose to return to her dorm where she wrestled to have a peaceful night of sleep. Her internal alarm clock eventually woke her up later the next morning.

As per her usual morning routine, she reached for her phone to check for any messages or notifications, namely about Ian. However, seeing the date, her eyes drifted shut with a small groan.

Keeping them clenched shut, her head fell back onto the pillow as she released a long sigh. The dreaded day had finally arrived and it left her stomach churning uncomfortably. She remained that way for a few minutes, just wishing it away when she felt the phone vibrate in her hand. Opening her eyes, she saw that it was a message from Jakob telling her what time he would be by to pick her up.

Every fiber of her being was fighting to keep her there in bed but she knew that this was something she couldn't avoid. Not on this day. So, very, very grudgingly, Daniela rose from the bed and started getting ready. Heading towards her drawers, she debated on what to wear. She wasn't sure what the dress code was for an anniversary and opted for jeans and a nice, dark shirt.

Her brother picked her up just when he said he would and drove them to the cemetery. Before getting in the car, he had pulled her in for a tight hug that Daniela tried to duplicate.

Once they arrived, Jakob gave her the flowers to hold before they weaved their way through the countless graves and, as they grew closer to their intended destination, Daniela felt a thick lump form in her throat. She hadn't stepped foot on that soil since the day they had buried her.

"Hey, mom," said Jakob, coming to a stop in front of her resting place. He placed a hand on the cool stone of her grave. "We brought you some flowers. Your favorites."

He glanced behind him at Daniela who, after realizing that this was her cue, stepped forward and laid the bouquet down against the stone. Her eyes lingered on the epitaph before quickly stepping back.

Jakob did the same and held out his hand for her. With a small gulp, she took it, feeling him squeeze it tightly. She didn't say a word as her brother worked up the courage to speak.

"It, uh-" Jakob cleared his throat. "It's been a year since you've been gone. I can't see it's gotten any easier without you but we're trying our best, you know. I've been working real hard and so has Daniela. Dad's doing good too. He's nervous about the parole hearing but the rest of us are pretty sure it's certain that he'll be accepted."

He fell silent causing Daniela to glance up at his face. Her mouth pinched when she saw that he was struggling to push on. At the sight of it, guilt churned in her stomach that she couldn't muster up the same amount of emotion.

"Um. We just, uh. We just wanted to let you know that we miss you and that, not a day passes where we don't think of you - especially today."

She felt her brother's arm snake around her side and pull her into his side as she rested her head against his shoulder.

"You okay?" She asked once she was sure he had finished.

"Yeah," nodded Jakob, managing to give her a small smile. "I'm good. You?"

Wordlessly, Daniela nodded too.

"Uh, while we're here," began Jakob, a flash of hesitance crossing his face. "There's something I need to tell you."

Pulling her head back, Daniela frowned at her brother. "What?"

"Do you remember mom ever talking about her side of the family?"

She took a moment to think about it before shaking her head. "No. Not that I can recall."

"Exactly! I mean, she was our mother and we knew barely anything about her other than she was born in PR and moved here to Chicago with dad when they were young. Other than that, nothing. We don't know about her parents, siblings, cousins."

Daniela's eyes narrowed as she shrugged. "I just assumed there was some bad blood, or that maybe she didn't have any family."

"Yeah, so did I. But then I got this email a few weeks ago from some guy called Eric Rivera." Pulling out his phone, Jakob flicked through his email before showing it to her. "Dani, he said he's mom's brother."

"What?" She leaned closer to let her eyes skim over the words. "Seriously?"

Jakob nodded hurriedly and tucked the phone back into his pocket. "Yeah, turns out mom has a whole family living in Florida that she never told us about. But get this; they didn't even know she had died."

Shocked, Daniela didn't say anything for a long minute. "Well, did you tell them?"

"Not yet," said Jakob, shaking his head. "I wanted to talk to you about it first."

"Well, I guess you should tell them, right? I mean, they are her family. Supposedly."

"Yeah, but what do we know about them? Maybe mom never brought them up for a good reason. Maybe they're bad people."

"Or maybe there was some sort of misunderstanding," shrugged Daniela. "We don't know for sure but what I don't really think this is something you can just sweep under the rug. At least not now that our alleged uncle is trying to contact you."

Seeming to agree, Jakob shook his head. "I just don't understand how mom could just keep this from us?"

"I don't know, Jake and right now, I don't really care enough to find out," sighed Daniela, tiredly. "But, if you wanna tell them, tell them. Just leave me out of it, okay?"

Jakob frowned but nodded nevertheless. "Yeah, okay."

With a grateful smile, Daniela placed a kiss on her brother's cheek.

/

Later that night, the siblings went out for dinner. Katherine joined them there as they each remembered their mother. Jakob didn't bring up anything else about the email he had received but Daniela knew how disappointed he was in how she had reacted.

After their plates were cleared and the bill had been paid, they said their goodbyes, with Daniela heading to the train station. However, instead of heading straight back to her dorm, she remained on the train until she arrived at the station nearest to Lip's college. She stopped briefly to grab some beers from the drugstore before continuing. She knew that it was getting late and hoped that the beers could be some sort of consolation for possibly waking him up.

Once she arrived, Daniela made her way to the building she knew he stayed in. However, since she had no idea what his room number was, she whipped out her phone and called him, praying that he was still awake.

It took a few moments before he picked up.

" _Hey_ ," answered Lip, not expecting her call.

"Hey, uh, is that offer still on the table?" She wondered, gingerly.

" _Yeah, of course. Do you want me to come meet you?_ "

"Actually, I'm standing outside your building."

" _Oh._ " From his bedroom, Lip peered out the window but saw nothing and figured that she was at the front of the building. " _Okay, I'll be out in a minute._ "

Daniela smiled softly. "Okay."

Hanging up, Daniela brushed a piece of hair behind her air and kept her eyes on the doors of the building. A few minutes later, Lip emerged from the entrance and met her eye. A small smile broke out on his face as he jogged over to her.

"Hey."

"Hi," responded Daniela before grimacing. "I'm sorry, I know it's late."

"No, it's fine," said Lip, waving her concern off.

Nodding, Daniela's attention turned to the beers in her hand. She raised them up to show off. "I bought these. Just in case."

"Alright," grinned Lip. "You wanna go for a walk?"

"Yeah," nodded Daniela in return. "That sounds good. Lead the way."

They walked side by side for a few minutes as Lip directed her to the main area of campus where students would hang out between classes. There were plenty of tables and chairs for them to use and Daniela wasted no time picking one out.

She climbed up onto the chair of the picnic table and set the drinks down beside her while Lip did the same.

"So, how did it go?" He asked, looking beside him to where she was cracking open a beer.

Daniela took a small sip before passing another off to him.

"Uh, it was good, yeah. We laid down some flowers, stared at her headstone for a little and then left."

Lip's brow raised. "That's it?"

"Well," she tilted her head. "Jake wanted to say a few words. I don't really know though, I kind of blocked it all out."

"Why?" Wondered Lip, sensing that there was more to the story.

Daniela shrugged, unsure of what to say. "Because I haven't really dealt with it properly," she admitted nonchalantly.

Lip's frown deepened as he turned his body to face her better. "You wanna talk about it?"

He watched her mouth thin hesitantly before she eventually cleared her throat.

"When she died, I didn't really know how to cope. I mean, I knew it was coming, we all knew it was coming but I thought that when it did, it would be the right time under the right circumstances." She stared down at the beer being rolled between her palms. "That night, I had gone to see her. I was upset about you and Karen and I knew that she would be there to comfort me."

At the shameful reminder, Lip's eyes dropped.

"When I was feeling a little better, I left to get her some water. I had to have been gone for only two minutes but, by the time I came back, there were nurses rushing into the room. I had no idea what was happening. I thought, at first, that they had the wrong room. She had been fine when I had left her." Daniela paused, feeling a thick lump form in her throat that made it difficult to talk. "I remember when the doctor told us that she was gone, I just, I felt like I couldn't breathe-"

"I'm sorry," said Lip, cutting her off. He didn't need to know the rest. He had already heard enough. "I'm sorry you had to go through that alone."

Daniela was quiet for a moment before licking her lips and continuing. "It wasn't all bad," she said, feeling a smile creep onto her face. "Mandy and the guys were a big help but they knew that I wasn't the same. I feel sorry for my brother though. Even after a year, I've never really been able to talk to him about what happened."

"These things take time," comforted Lip. "A year might sound like a long time to deal but this was a big loss for you. And I know that it wasn't the only thing you were going through at the time. I'm sorry about that too."

With a small smile, Daniela placed a hand over his and squeezed it gratefully.

"Thanks, Lip. For all of this," she gestured to their surroundings. "You know, listening to me unload all of my shit onto you."

"Hey." Placing two fingers under her chin, Lip raised her head so that she could meet his eyes. "You don't have to apologize for anything. I'm always here for you, you know that."

Daniela stared back at him, her eyes developing a watery sheen the longer she did so. She nodded slightly as the fingers holding her head up moved to rest on the side of her face. Lip's thumb stroked her cheek comfortingly, his intense stare never wavering from her.

Daniela gulped, feeling a shift in the air that was a little too dangerous. Clearing her throat, she pulled away causing Lip's hand to drop back to onto his leg.

"I should probably head back," she said, avoiding his gaze. "Besides, I don't think your girlfriend would appreciate me hanging out with you so much."

Her small attempt at humor to cover up whatever had just happened was followed by a long drink of her warming beer.

"Actually, Amanda and I broke up."

Daniela spluttered, having not expected that response. She wiped a hand over her mouth before staring at Lip, wide-eyed.

"What? Are you serious?"

Lip nodded, unfazed. "Yeah."

"When?" She demanded, her curiosity spiking.

"Just before I left Miami."

Daniela's brow raised as her mind did some calculating. "That was months ago!" Stuttering, she rotated her body to face him fully. "Wha-? Are you okay?"

Lip simply looked at her, a small smile of astonishment on his face as his eyes roamed her worried expression.

"Yeah," he nodded. "I'm doing good."

Internally, Daniela realized why the pair had seemed so awkward when she had seen them. At the thought, her mouth thinned as she squeezed his arm.

"I'm so sorry," she said genuinely upset for him.

"Don't be," responded Lip, his voice light. "It was better I end things. You know, before things got complicated."

Daniela frowned. "I don't understand."

Instead of providing her with a direct answer, Lip placed his beer down to the side before lifting his hand to rest gently against the side of her neck. Daniela's eye's widened slightly as he grazed thumb across her soft skin. She gulped, convinced that he could feel her pulse going crazy against her palm.

Lip showed no indication of it and instead leaned in slowly so that his mouth could brush against hers. She allowed their lips to linger for a brief second before she reeled her head back.

"Lip, what-?"

"I've wanted to do that for two months," he confessed, a small grin playing on his features.

His hand remained on her neck and used it to keep her steady. He could see the mix of confusion and surprise playing across her face and found it even more endearing. Leaning forward, he rested his forehead against hers and watched as she frowned to herself.

"I uh," she paused to lick her lips. "I don't-"

"You don't have to make a decision right now," said Lip as his thumb brushed itself against the nape of her neck. "But, just for tonight, do you think we could maybe let this happen?"

Daniela didn't answer right away. She wasn't sure how to. She could feel his eyes on her as she sat debating in her head about what to do. Her mind was still trying to process what the hell was happening.

Chancing it, she lifted her eyes to meet his and was immediately taken aback by the degree of want she saw there. Her eyes dropped to his mouth; an easy task considering how close they already were.

Having made up her mind, Daniela embraced the butterflies in her stomach and tilted her head up to close the almost non-existent gap between them.

* * *

.

I know it feels really rushed and I'm sorry for that but I couldn't find any other way to split up these two episodes.

In case it didn't click, Lip's been single ever since he got back from Miami. I dropped little hints here and there with the major ones being in the last chapter but I don't think anyone picked up on it.

 _Special thanks to_ xenocanaan, Taffdog19943, 13teen, RHatch89, strippedraw, Naruhina1519, angelicedg, and HPuni101 for reviewing!

 **REVIEW!**


	53. Carl's First Sentencing

**Chapter 52.**

I'm sorry.

If you want a full explanation you can find it on Tumblr xx

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Shameless.

* * *

What ensued after that was something Daniela couldn't put into words even if she wanted to.

It didn't take them long to find their way back to Lip's building and stumble into his room. Through the lust-filled haze, she found herself praising the fact that he had been wise enough to become an RA and get his own bedroom.

Lip's mouth stayed latched onto hers as they shifted towards the bed. When the back of her legs found the soft mattress, she took a seat and leaned back, all the while keeping her hand pressed against Lip's jaw. She felt the bed sink on each side of her as he climbed over her lower body, causing her to arch her neck upwards to meet each one of his kisses.

The rest of whatever they had been wearing was quickly discarded as Lip took a moment to take her in. Daniela stared up at him, watching the way emotion flickered through his stare before he dipped down to kiss her neck.

Whatever concerns she might've had were pushed to the side as she gave into the contact; her soft moans in his ear, his hands in her hair. She relished in the familiarity of it all and the bittersweet reminder of what they had once shared.

Lip's sudden attentiveness wasn't lost on Daniela. He took extra care with her in an attempt to make the most out of whatever this was and, as they fell back into the forms of their past selves, she couldn't help but think about how much she had missed this- how much she had missed him.

/

The soft brushing of skin against her face caused Daniela's eyes to blink open. Still half-asleep, she grimaced at the sunlit background silhouetting Lip's figure. He was rested on his side, propped up on one hand while the other slowly dropped from where it had been grazing against her cheek.

"Mornin," he said softly, his voice still carrying that early-morning huskiness.

Slowly, the events of that night came to mind.

"Hey," said Daniela, a light frown marring her features. "How long have you been up for?"

Lip tilted his head and brushed his thumb against her jaw.

"Not long." His stare lingered on her collarbone before flicking up to her face. "You're so beautiful."

Daniela folded her chin into her neck at the sudden compliment as Lip watched her with thinly-veiled curiosity.

"Do you know what time it is?" She asked instead.

Lip remained still for a moment before looking over his shoulder and reaching for his phone.

"7:40," he said. Exhaling, he put his head back on the pillow and traced the side of her jaw; the motion sending a warm chill down Daniela's spine. "Why, you need to be somewhere?"

"Uh, yeah. My dad said he was gonna try and call before I left for work," she said before abruptly sitting up. "Which reminds me, I need to go get changed."

Lip nodded, sensing that she hadn't completely let her guard down yet. He continued to stare and decided to test out the waters. When Daniela's eyes met his, he leaned up whilst coaxing her chin down for a kiss.

She let it happen and even responded in kind, but once he pulled away, her eyes shifted elsewhere. Beside her, Lip couldn't hide his disappointment.

"How're you feelin?" He asked, hoping that a bit of conversation would help open her up.

She turned her head so that her chin rested against her shoulder to look at him.

"About my mom or the fact that we had sex?"

The humor in her voice caused Lip to smirk slightly.

"Your mom first. "

Daniela breathed in and nodded. "I feel good- better."

"And the sex?" Prompted Lip, causing a silence to fall between them.

"I don't regret it," she said finally, her voice softening. The tension in Lip's shoulders faded somewhat at that. She knew it would be his main concern. "If that's what you're thinking."

"But…?" He asked, sensing that there was more.

Daniela licked her lips and sighed. "I just don't want you to think that this is gonna become a regular thing, you know? Because I'm still sorting a lot of stuff out."

"Right," said Lip, unable to keep his disappointment out of his voice.

Daniela seeing this, placed a hand on the side of his face; her thumb grazing his skin slowly.

"That doesn't mean that I don't want more of this," she said quietly. "Because I do, believe me, I do otherwise I wouldn't have let this happen but, I also need to make sure that it's the right choice."

Lip understood plain and clear what she was saying and he knew that she was right. He didn't want her to feel like she was always second-guessing herself.

Nodding, he traced his fingers over her collarbone.

"I've been waiting for this for almost a year," he said, pressing a kiss to it before meeting her eyes. "I can wait a little longer."

Relief swelled in Daniela's chest as she bit down on her lower lip. Holding the sheet against her, she positioned herself on the edge of the bed and began gathering her clothes.

Once she was dressed, she lingered by the bed, unsure of what to say next.

"I'll call you," she settled with causing Lip to nod as he remained in bed.

"Okay."

Nodding to herself, Daniela moved to leave but hesitated. Lip watched as she walked back to the bed and leaned forward to press a kiss to his cheek. Her mouth lingered for a few moments before she left the dorm. He watched the door shut behind her and collapsed back onto his pillow with a sigh.

/

Mandy was stood at the counter refilling napkin dispensers when Daniela arrived at work.

"Hey," she greeted, regarding her entrance for a moment. "How did yesterday go?"

Daniela huffed and slumped onto the stool beside her. Hearing her sigh, Mandy did a double-take at how conflicted she looked.

"Uh, it went about as well as it could," said Daniela, scratching behind her ear. "But uh, last night I went to see Lip."

That alone was enough to cause Mandy to stop what she was doing. She turned to face her fully and placed a hand on her hip.

"And?" She asked, already assuming the worst.

Daniela tilted her head, creating the facade of a guilty child.

"I might've slept with him," she said tentatively, bracing herself for her friend's response.

Mandy's brow raised and she blinked.

"Daniela…"

"I know, I know! It was an impulse decision."

"Yeah, no shit." Rolling her eyes, Mandy pushed the filled napkin dispenser to the side and grabbed another one. "I don't even wanna think about how awkward the morning-after talk was."

"I feel like it could've been worse," said Daniela retrospectively.

"Yeah well, wait till Simon finds out," joked Mandy, a small grin on her face. "So, do this mean you're back together?"

Daniela hesitated for a moment causing Mandy to glance up at her.

"Uh... I'm not too sure actually."

"I thought this was what you wanted?" Asked the other girl, seemingly confused.

"So did I. And I do, but..."

"You're scared."

Daniela's mouth folded as she nodded.

"It's just- I don't know if I can trust him after everything that happened," she confessed with a heavy sigh. "I _know_ that he's changed or, at least I think he has, but I can't help it. What if, I become this person who just obsesses over everything he's doing and where he's going and who he's texting?"

Her shoulders sagged as she raked a hand through her hair. "That's not me. I never want that to be me."

Mandy, noticing some people trickle into her section, grabbed some menus and gestured for Daniela to follow her.

Daniela did and cleared a used table while Mandy served hers. Once her back was turned and the orders were taken, they both headed to the pass.

"Look, I'm not gonna tell you what you should or shouldn't do," began Mandy as she put in the order and Daniela dropped off the used plates. "But if I'm being honest I wouldn't trust anything he said."

"Maybe that's just me being biased or because, oddly enough, I care about you." Daniela couldn't help her small smile at that. "But, at the end of the day, you have to do what you think will make you happy and, if that means forgiving Lip and taking him back, then so be it."

Daniela chewed on her bottom lip and lifted her shoulders.

"I just don't want anyone to think I'm stupid for forgiving him."

Mandy regarded for a moment, a sliver of sympathy shining through before she sighed.

"How about this- you and I go out Saturday night. You can get hit on by some sleazy guys and then, hopefully, one cute enough to spend the rest of the night with. That way, you can figure out if you like it or not," said Mandy with a shrug. "If you do, you know that you're not really up for a relationship with Lip, but if you don't, you'll have your decision."

Daniela thought over it as a round of orders were put up to take out.

"Do I really have to screw someone just to figure it out?" She asked warily.

Mandy quirked a brow. "Did you have a better idea?"

She didn't.

/

At the end of the week, Daniela found herself dressed up nicer than usual at a bar near campus. Mandy and Simon had picked the place thinking that they'd have a better chance of finding better guys there but they had been there for half an hour and Daniela already wanted to leave.

She was a ball of nerves as she sipped on her drink. The couple had taken off elsewhere, leaving her to fend for herself.

Pulling out her phone, she opened up her messages and found Lip's name. She still hadn't spoken to him ever since their night together.

D: Hey

She sent the text as a small ice-breaker. 

D: I heard about Carl's sentencing yesterday. Sorry, I couldn't be there, we had an in-class test.

Her eyes remained on the screen, waiting for his reply.

 **L: No problem**

She bit down on her lip and typed out her response.

D: I'm a little surprised he didn't take the deal

 **L: Yeah, somehow I'm not**

D: I hope he's okay

 **L: He should be**

Daniela sighed. When she had heard that Carl had _asked_ to go to juvie, she was disappointed but Lip was right. Carl had always been a wild card, especially when it came to authority, so it really shouldn't have surprised them.

A minute later, her phone lit up with another text from Lip.

 **L: So how are you?**

Sensing where this was going, Daniela sent a quick response.

D: Good, and you?

 **L: Yeah, same.**

 **L: Any progress so far on where you're at?**

Daniela hesitated.

It had been almost a week already and she knew that despite his reassurance, Lip would inevitably become more insistent on her decision.

"Hey there."

Caught off-guard, Daniela's eyes whipped up to see a cute guy smiling down at her.

"Hi," she replied.

She watched as he gestured to the bartender for a refill before turning his attention to her.

"I'm Scott," he said, leaning a forearm on the bar.

"Daniela," she replied with a kind smile.

His never left his face. "Are you here alone?"

"Oh, no my friends are around here somewhere," she said, gesturing around them.

Scott nodded before frowning slightly.

"And they left you all by yourself?" He asked as if the idea seemed absurd.

Daniela simply shrugged. "They're kind of hoping I'll hook-up with someone tonight."

Her blunt answer caused Scott to laugh.

"That's funny because my friends were hoping for the exact same thing."

"No kidding?" She joked sarcastically, watching his grin widen.

"Can I buy you a drink?" He offered.

"Uh, sure but just because you do doesn't mean I'm gonna have sex with you," she said, tilting her head.

He laughed again and shook his head.

"Don't worry about that," he assured her. "I like to think I'm charming enough without needing coercion."

Scott called the bartender over and put in her order while she took the time to check her phone again. Lip's message was still unanswered.

As she went to put it down, another text popped up that caused her to frown.

 **M: Get off your phone and start flirting.**

Whipping her head up, Daniela looked around the bar but couldn't find Mandy anywhere.

"One drink for the lovely lady," said Scott, reclaiming her attention.

Daniela accepted the drink from his hand and watched as he raised his own glass.

"Cheers," he said.

Daniela smiled and clinked her glass against his.

/

The next morning found Daniela slowly making her way across campus. There was a dull aching in her head but not nearly as bad as what she had experienced in the past.

At the sound of her phone going off in her hand, she checked to see her brother's name on the screen and answered.

"Hey," she said as she moved through campus.

" _Dani, where are you right now?_ " Asked Jakob, his voice causing the girl to frown.

"I'm just heading back to my dorm," she answered. "Why, did something happened?"

" _How fast do you think you could get over to the house?_ " He said instead, not bothering to answer her. It left her feeling even more confused.

"Uh," she glanced around her surroundings. "I don't know, maybe a half-hour. What's going on?"

" _I just need you to get over her now. Please,_ " he said after a brief pause. " _It's important._ "

Now Daniela was really worried and slowed to a stop. "Did something happen? Are you okay?"

Her brother's weary sigh sounded out in her ear. " _Just get over here._ "

He hung up shortly after that. Daniela quirked a brow and shook her head before looking down at herself.

She was still in her outfit from last night and didn't want to show up dressed up. She also just wanted to be out of the clothes as soon as possible.

Making up her mind, she picked up the pace and hurried to her dorm room to get changed before she headed home.

When she finally arrived outside of the house, she noticed an unfamiliar car sitting outside. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the Floridian number plates and wondered who it belonged to.

Wasting no more time, she headed up the stairs and into the house.

Immediately, she heard voices talking, her confusion building when she picked up on a mix of her brother and Spanish; a rarity in their household since neither had spoken much of it after their mother became sick.

She followed the voices into the living room, coming to a stop when she saw her brother placing down some coffees for an older woman and what looked to be her son.

"Hey," said Daniela, to announce herself. She glanced around the room before settling her attention on her brother.

Jakob's eyes widened when he caught sight of her.

"Dani."

Her brow raised as he made his way over to her and lightly gripped her shoulders. He frowned as he took in her slightly disheveled appearance.

"What happened to you?"

Daniela rolled her eyes and tucked a loose piece of hair behind her ear.

"I went out last night. What's going on here?" She asked, looking over his shoulder to the woman who now seemed to be staring back in shock. "You said it was important."

"Yeah..." began Jakob, suddenly nervous. "About that. You remember when-"

" _Daniela_."

At the sound of the heavily-accented woman, Daniela locked eyes with her, unprepared for the tight hug she was soon enveloped in.

"Oh."

A hand stroked her hair, caressing it delicately as the woman muttered to herself in Spanish so quickly that Daniela could only catch half of it.

Pulling back, she eyed the woman oddly and looked at her brother for help as the woman continued to assess her in detail.

"Look at you," she said softly, placing her hands on the sides of Daniela's face. " _Eres muy guapa_ , just like your mother."

At the mention of her mother, Daniela's frown deepened and she shook her head slightly.

"Sorry, I don't-"

"Dani." She turned her head to meet Jakob's wary stare. He inhaled and gestured to the woman still looking her over.

"This is Teresa Rivera - our grandmother."

* * *

.

It's gonna take a while for me to get used to writing this story again but I'm trying.

 **Thank you** for all of the encouraging messages, they meant a lot.

 **REVIEW!**


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